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Understanding Vulnerability of Human-Biodiversity Interface to Drought in South Africa

This research study aims to examine the livelihood options and vulnerability of households to drought in South Africa, particularly in the context of changing human-environment systems. It seeks to establish typologies of households and variables defining their vulnerability to drought, as well as explore the impacts and responses to drought. The study also investigates the linkage between drought and biodiversity, highlighting functions of household vulnerability in relation to production, consumption, resource accessibility, and options for response and adaptation.

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Understanding Vulnerability of Human-Biodiversity Interface to Drought in South Africa

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  1. Delali BK Dovie Local vulnerability of the human-biodiversity interface to drought in S. Africa Global Environmental Change and Food Systems (GECAFS) First meeting of Vulnerability of Food Systems to GEC Research Network 17-18 May 2006, Oxford UK

  2. Background

  3. Challenges of communal area landscapes? • Major sources of safety nets (e.g. natural resources) • Sources of livelihood incomes (cash & non-cash) • Livelihood insecurity (i.e. optimizing benefits) • Changing culture of resource use • Changing institutional & social structures • Increased traditional farming (crops + livestock) • Direct extraction of plants • Poor social infrastructure & high unemployment

  4. Goals • Examine livelihood options, and in relation to changes in the human-environment system • Define typologies of households responding to the effects and impacts of drought • Establish variables defining the vulnerability of households to drought

  5. Stressful events

  6. Typologies of stresses • Chronic (e.g., Joblessness, illness, death and resettlement) • Acute (e.g., rain floods) • Recurring (drought and livestock losses) • Intermittent (e.g., veld / forest fires, marital problems)

  7. Linking stresses and livelihoods

  8. Drought-experiencing households and single livelihood option

  9. Link between no. of livelihoods & exposure to drought

  10. Effects / impacts of drought & responses HH response / affected groups DROUGHT Impacts >> outcomes Hunger Food insecurity Loss of livelihood Malnutrition / disease Poverty Effects Response group II Biophysical environment Impacts Response group III Exposure >> effects Farms Grazing areas Woodland resources Water bodies Biodiversity Effects >>Outcomes Outcome Pasture loss Livestock loss Crop loss / poor harvest Dried water bodies Response group I Vulnerability identity

  11. Drought effects & impacts, response & adaptation in Thorndale

  12. Households’ responses to drought • Dryland farming • Stockpiling / sales of woodland resources • Home / backyard gardens • Keeping of small-bodied livestock • Cattle relocation • Family emigration & relocation • Cultivation of wild fruits & herbs

  13. The drought – biodiversity linkage

  14. Functions of HH vulnerability to drought (i) The production system (ii) The consumption (dependence) system (iii) Resource accessibility and distribution (iv) Options (v) Resilience = [abundance (quantity), supply, diversity] = [socio-economic & financial value, availability, extent of use, knowledge & skill] = [demand, wealth status, marketing, transport, technical services] = [production, consumption, accessibility, opportunity] = [options, response & adaptation] VULNERABILITY = [RESILIENCE, SAFETY NET, IDENTITY]

  15. Thank U

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