Livestock production and wildlife-based tourism: Articulating land-use and policy conflicts in the Okavango Delta Ramsar Site in Botswana

Type Thesis or Dissertation - Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy
Title Livestock production and wildlife-based tourism: Articulating land-use and policy conflicts in the Okavango Delta Ramsar Site in Botswana
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2012
URL http://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1531&context=etd
Abstract
The management of common pool resources and policy conflicts between livestock and wildlife,
two land-use types that take place in the same geo-spatial area has been a subject of debate
among scholars for decades. This conflict in policies has engendered in communities which are
beneficiaries attitudes that are either negative towards wildlife or favorable depending on the
benefits they derive from them. This research therefore set out to understand the conflicts in the
management of the Okavango Delta Ramsar Site (ODRS) where the OD is situated. The study
used the grounded theory to collect and analyze the data in the ODRS from the respondent
communities. The study finds that most members of the community had a favorable attitude
towards CBNRM and the livestock policies. There is a difference in attitudes between
communities that depend solely on CBNRM for livelihood and those that had alternative sources
of livelihood such as cattle. The communities which depend only on CBNRM were strongly in
favor of the policy and could not conceive life without CBNRM. Those which are not part of
CBNRM and won cattle were against CBNRM as they felt it protected wild animals at the
expense of livestock. The mixed reaction came from communities that are involved with both
livestock and wildlife. The negative attitudes were expressed with regard to the decision making
process concerning both livestock and wildlife polices as communities felt they were excluded
and only informed about these policies. The study concluded that the power holders used their
mobilization of process and bias to circumvent the communities in decision-making to avoid
conflict.

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