Livelihood strategies of rural households in Caprivi: Implications for conservancies and natural resource management

Abstract

This paper examines how rural Caprivians secure their livelihoods, in order to understand how wildlife and other community based natural resource management (CBNRM) initiatives can "fit in" to current activities and the rural economy. The livelihoods and priorities of different types of households are assessed, and the many positive and negative impacts of CBNRM initiatives identified. The aim is to understand wildlife and CBNRM from householders' perspectives, and recommend how conservancies, and other natural resource management initiatives can be implemented in ways that maximise the positive impacts to rural livelihoods and minimise the negative impacts. The paper first considers the wide range of resource uses and livelihood strategies employed by rural households: crop production, livestock, wage employment and cash remittances, harvesting of trees, plants and river resources, and wildlife/tourism enterprises. It then assesses how different households combine these various activities, and identifies the main factors affecting their options and choices. In the light of this overview of livelihood strategies, the significance of CBNRM activities to rural households is assessed and implications for conservancies and other natural resource management initiatives are identified.