Drought Hazard and Desertification Management in the Drylands of Southern Africa |
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Authors: | J P Msangi |
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Institution: | (1) University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia |
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Abstract: | Droughts have been occurring persistently in southern African dryland regions for over a century. The impacts of droughts
on people, their domesticated animals, wildlife, rangelands and cropped lands have been shown to be astronomical. If left
alone the rangelands often recover after the calamity, however human occupation has led to irreversible damage. Even though
some communities have evolved viable and sustainable coping mechanisms, recent times have seen weakened coping strategies
leading to loss of life in most of the 10 countries in southern Africa. While land degradation has many inter-related causes
and effects, drought-related effects have proven most difficult to manage and/or overcome. Drought-related land degradation
or desertification poses a huge threat to sustainable land and resource management in the region. The paper examines appropriate
drought mitigating initiatives, linking them to land tenure and land management practices. Numerous interventions targeted
at reducing poverty and improvement in resource management have failed to achieve desired effects due to rigidity and imposition,
and failure of the external interveners to recognise and incorporate indigenous peoples’ preferences and coping strategies.
Non-governmental organisations and authorities’ willingness to institute drought and desertification combating measures are
reviewed, highlighting the role that community action plays in reducing adverse effects in the region. Linkages to trade patterns
that perpetuate poverty and unwise use of resources are discussed. Adopting ‘people centred’ mitigating measures is emphasised.
Success rests with both the people in the ‘south’ and those in the ‘north’. What is required is an informed global action. |
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Keywords: | desertification drought mitigation management southern Africa sub-Sahelian Africa UNCCD |
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