This dissertation reviews the principles of International River Basin Management and their application by the governments of Angola, Botswana and Namibia. The dissertation deals with the issues popularised by governments, water planners and international agencies that the twenty-first century's conflicts will be fought over water. Increasingly this concern is being used to justify new water-supply dams and river diversion projects. This is especially so in arid Southern Africa, the focus of this dissertation, where numerous major international water transfers are underway and many more are being planned. While Namibia's growing thirst is a serious problem, the story is more complicated than just too many basin states putting their straws into one glass. The growing conflicts over the Okavango's water use raise broader questions about ownership of common resources, and equity of access to those resources. Most southern African countries depend on primary natural resources to sustain economies and their people. The environmental issues are remarkably similar in countries within the region, and the economic, social and political fortunes of the individual countries are intertwined. Furthermore, the ways in which resources are being managed are similar and thus cause for common concern. In general, the ability of countries in the region to achieve sustainable development depends not on national policies but also on the commitment of neighbours to practice sound environmental management. This is because activities in one country can easily cause impacts on a neighbour and possibly result in "downstream" opportunity costs. This case study of the Okavango River Basin, a river facing prospective developments from riparian states Angola, Botswana and Namibia, attempts to find sustainable solutions to solving international resource conflict. In addition to outlining the possible future threats to the Okavango River, this study proclaims a number of recommendations in the way of declaring alternatives to Namibia's plans to extract water from the Okavango River. One such recommendation is the encouragement of Water Demand Management as an alternative to water transfer by Namibia. This management strategy is aimed at optimising the use of available water rather than developing new or extended supplies and as a result it has a vital role to play since it contributes to sustainable development rather than over exploitation of limited natural resources. The majority of large rivers in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are shared by three or more countries, and as the region's water resources come under growing development pressure, the importance of establishing effective national and regional methods and institutions for sustainably managing these resources will increase greatly. From economic, ecological and human welfare perspectives, the Okav,ango River Basin is arguably one of the most important transboundary natural resources (TBNR) in the region. Owing to the basin's remoteness and history of conflict, the Okavango was spared much of the destructive developments that rivers in the region have suffered. As a result, the relatively pristine Okavango ecosystem continues to provide significant benefits to the region much as it has done for centuries. As we approach the new millennium, however, it is clear that the health of the Okavango River Basin is threatened as riparian states increasingly turn to the Okavango to support their growing populations and economies. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

This thesis looks into the land use and natural resource management systems of Basarwa communities in Ngamiland in the northwest of Botswana. The study specifically focuses on Basarwa communities living in and on the edges of the Okavango Delta. The link between these communities and their natural resources is explored using the Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Framework and the Adaptive Renewal Cycle. The core assumption in this thesis is that livelihood strategies are constantly renewed and adapted to promote resilience in ecological and social systems. Fieldwork data collected between May 2000 and July 2001 and secondary data is used to deliberate on this point. The thesis confirms that the Basarwa’s livelihood strategies were adaptive only in as far as traditional livelihoods are concerned. The thesis traces the changes that the Basarwa have experienced as a result of policy restrictions through the different phases of the adaptive renewal cycle. The period following Independence in Botswana saw a policy shift which resulted in the Basarwa becoming landless. With mainly land-based livelihood strategies, the Basarwa were faced with new forms of crises and vulnerability which their traditional adaptive strategies were not designed for. It comes to the conclusion that the Basarwa are currently stuck in a reorganisation phase; however, the CBNRM Draft Policy of Botswana offers a glimpse of hope as it provides an opportunity for the Basarwa to progress through the full cycle of reorganisation, renewal, conservation and release.

In recent years the use of tourism as a development strategy by third world governments has increased, resulting in the intersection of international tourism and local agricultural strategies. The aim of this thesis is to critically assess the impact of tourism development on local agriculture in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. More specifically, the study appraises the current state of tourism and agriculture in the Okavango Delta, assesses the social, economic and environmental effects of tourism development on the Okavango Delta and its communities, examines local agricultural production and consumption patterns, assesses the patterns of supply and demand of food in the region, and evaluates the impact of tourism on local subsistence agriculture, while making use of both qualitative and quantitative data sources. The Okavango Delta region is faced with several socio-economic problems. These include high unemployment levels, unequal regional development, income inequalities and extreme levels of poverty. 'Rural-urban' migration by local subsistence farmers in search of formal employment opportunities has risen steadily since the early 1990s, resulting in unprecedented social changes to the inhabitants of the Delta, and the abandonment of traditional farming practices. This, together with the limited interaction between the local population and tourism industry, is increasingly leading to tension between local and foreign parties in the region. The large proportion of foreign owned tourist facilities and foreign investment results in major economic leakages, and the exclusion of Motswana from any form of meaningful participation in the tourism industry. The presence of foreign tourists in the Delta enforces the need for imports, increasingly damaging local agricultural production as both production and consumption becomes imported. If tourism is to be of any benefit to the local population in the Okavango Delta, there has to be local involvement and ownership. The fostering of linkages between tourism and other sectors, particularly agriculture, is imperative in attempting to bring about socio-economic growth in this region. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.