Periodic Reporting for period 2 - REWILDING (Rewilding the Anthropocene. Human-Animal Assemblages in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-07-01 al 2024-12-31
REWILDING focusses on the social, economic and cultural ramifications of large-scale conservation in one of the world’s largest transboundary conservation areas, the Kavango-Zambezi Transboundary Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) involving five countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola). Ecological, socio-economic and cultural shifts in KAZA foreshadow developments tied to the Montreal-Kunming agreement’s goal (2022) of conserving 30% of the Earth by 2030. REWILDING explores the complex social-ecological changes linked to conservation.
REWILDING considers contemporary conservation in KAZA through a historical lens. Colonial and postcolonial conservation policies in the region have been linked to oppressive policies and occasional enforced relocations and show continuities with earlier colonial policies. This is connected to the stabilizing influence of international conservation organisations supporting path dependencies. The more recent history of community-based conservation also shows parallels between the KAZA countries. Addressing past injustices directly or indirectly linked to conservation is a key concern of many rural communities and conservation NGOs that remains unresolved.
Moreover, REWILDING examines how conservation has affected rural livelihoods in KAZA. While extractivist strategies in Zambia (tropical timber) and Zimbabwe (coal mining) seriously compete with conservationist approaches, in Namibia agricultural development is the competing trend. Only in Botswana does conservation-related tourism seem to dominate rural economics. Both community-based and state-led conservation have had little impact on poverty levels. In fact, in some cases, the loss of access to natural resources as well as human-wildlife conflicts have added to poverty, hardly counterbalanced by new employment opportunities. Analysing who benefits and who loses from conservation is key for assessing its potential to alleviate poverty.
Finally, REWILDING is concerned with the social dynamics connected to conservation efforts. Traditional authorities are crucial actors of natural resources management. At the same time, community-based conservation fosters the creation of new institutions, including elected committees devising wildlife management plans, forest and waterpoint committees, supported by NGOs and international donors. The emergence of competing and hybrid institutions is of considerable significance to understand how decisions are made in rural KAZA.
REWILDING considers contemporary conservation in KAZA through a historical lens. Colonial and postcolonial conservation policies in the region have been linked to oppressive policies and occasional enforced relocations and show continuities with earlier colonial policies. This is connected to the stabilizing influence of international conservation organisations supporting path dependencies. The more recent history of community-based conservation also shows parallels between the KAZA countries. Addressing past injustices directly or indirectly linked to conservation is a key concern of many rural communities and conservation NGOs that remains unresolved.
Moreover, REWILDING examines how conservation has affected rural livelihoods in KAZA. While extractivist strategies in Zambia (tropical timber) and Zimbabwe (coal mining) seriously compete with conservationist approaches, in Namibia agricultural development is the competing trend. Only in Botswana does conservation-related tourism seem to dominate rural economics. Both community-based and state-led conservation have had little impact on poverty levels. In fact, in some cases, the loss of access to natural resources as well as human-wildlife conflicts have added to poverty, hardly counterbalanced by new employment opportunities. Analysing who benefits and who loses from conservation is key for assessing its potential to alleviate poverty.
Finally, REWILDING is concerned with the social dynamics connected to conservation efforts. Traditional authorities are crucial actors of natural resources management. At the same time, community-based conservation fosters the creation of new institutions, including elected committees devising wildlife management plans, forest and waterpoint committees, supported by NGOs and international donors. The emergence of competing and hybrid institutions is of considerable significance to understand how decisions are made in rural KAZA.
The project began in January 2022 with a preparatory phase including workshops, an exploratory field excursion, research permit applications and fieldwork planning. After a year of intense fieldwork, the focus is now on data analysis and publications.
Under work package (WP) 1 “Changing Rural Livelihoods”, 14 expert interviews and 181 household level interviews examined household income generation, agricultural production and livelihood strategies in Zimbabwe. In Namibia, processes of wealth differentiation were examined based on 6 interviews and large data sets on land tenure and human-wildlife conflicts provided by governmental organisations.
Under WP 2 “Conflict, Governance, and Institutional Dynamics”, research examined the role of traditional authorities and emergent elites in conservation. In Zambia’s Simalaha conservancy, 71 interviews explored traditional governance dynamics. One article and a book chapter were submitted with another article in writing. 20 interviews examined the establishment of wildlife corridors and their governance in KAZA.
Under WP 3 “Knowledge and Practices, research focused on knowledge on trees and non-timber forest products (WP 9), zoonotic diseases (WP 6, 7), and wildlife (WP 4, 5, 6, 7).
Under WP 4 “Elephant Assemblage”, 35 interviews examined human-elephant relations and 58 interviews the role of technologies in elephant management in Botswana and Namibia. Two articles are under review.
Under WP 5 “Lion Assemblage”, archival research and 68 interviews with local actors explored human-lion relations in the Okavango delta, Bostwana. One article is under review.
Under WP 6 “Glossina/Trypanosome Assemblage”, 34 interviews were conducted in tsetse (glossina fly) control and infested areas in Zambia. Archival research (261 files) documented historical tsetse control and wildlife conservation. One article was published, with another in progress.
Under WP 7 “Foot-and-Mouth (FMD) Assemblage”, 22 interviews with FMD-affected farmers in Botswana and archival research were conducted. One co-authored article was published, with another in progress. A student in Botswana received a stipend.
Under WP 8 “Cattle Assemblage”, cattle data was collected in collaboration with the veterinary department in Katima Mulilo, Namibia, along with key informant interviews.
Under WP 9 “Rosewood Assemblage”, 58 interviews were conducted with farmers, forestry officers and government employees in Zambia. Two articles are in review.
Under work package (WP) 1 “Changing Rural Livelihoods”, 14 expert interviews and 181 household level interviews examined household income generation, agricultural production and livelihood strategies in Zimbabwe. In Namibia, processes of wealth differentiation were examined based on 6 interviews and large data sets on land tenure and human-wildlife conflicts provided by governmental organisations.
Under WP 2 “Conflict, Governance, and Institutional Dynamics”, research examined the role of traditional authorities and emergent elites in conservation. In Zambia’s Simalaha conservancy, 71 interviews explored traditional governance dynamics. One article and a book chapter were submitted with another article in writing. 20 interviews examined the establishment of wildlife corridors and their governance in KAZA.
Under WP 3 “Knowledge and Practices, research focused on knowledge on trees and non-timber forest products (WP 9), zoonotic diseases (WP 6, 7), and wildlife (WP 4, 5, 6, 7).
Under WP 4 “Elephant Assemblage”, 35 interviews examined human-elephant relations and 58 interviews the role of technologies in elephant management in Botswana and Namibia. Two articles are under review.
Under WP 5 “Lion Assemblage”, archival research and 68 interviews with local actors explored human-lion relations in the Okavango delta, Bostwana. One article is under review.
Under WP 6 “Glossina/Trypanosome Assemblage”, 34 interviews were conducted in tsetse (glossina fly) control and infested areas in Zambia. Archival research (261 files) documented historical tsetse control and wildlife conservation. One article was published, with another in progress.
Under WP 7 “Foot-and-Mouth (FMD) Assemblage”, 22 interviews with FMD-affected farmers in Botswana and archival research were conducted. One co-authored article was published, with another in progress. A student in Botswana received a stipend.
Under WP 8 “Cattle Assemblage”, cattle data was collected in collaboration with the veterinary department in Katima Mulilo, Namibia, along with key informant interviews.
Under WP 9 “Rosewood Assemblage”, 58 interviews were conducted with farmers, forestry officers and government employees in Zambia. Two articles are in review.
REWILDING organised several workshops in the research area for dissemination and capacity building. In March 2022 in Katima Mulilo (Namibia), REWILDING held an environmental history workshop with scholars from the KAZA countries. REWILDING participated in organising a workshop on multispecies encounters in conservation landscapes in Southern Africa in Windhoek (Namibia) in February 2023, following which a special issue was published featuring 5 contributions by REWILDING members. A workshop on qualitative methods was held in Botswana in 2023. In September 2024, research results were disseminated in the Okavango Delta. Another workshop is planned for March 2025 in Botswana on human-carnivore relations.
REWILDING has developed close collaborations with scholars and their research institute in Zambia (University of Zambia), Botswana (Okavango Research Institute) and Namibia (University of Namibia), as well as with key stakeholders including the veterinary and conservation departments in Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana.
Moreover, two workshops on rewilding involving international scholars took place in Germany in February and May 2024. Currently, REWILDING is organizing the publication of a special issue based on the results of both workshops. Two further international and publishing workshops are planned for early 2025 in Germany – one focused on forest and rewilding, and the other one on human-elephant relations.
REWILDING has been well represented in international scientific conferences, including at the European Conference for African Studies in June 2023, and the 2024 conferences of the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST), and of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA). REWILDING members will also participate in the PATHWAYS Europe conference on human dimensions of rewilding in October 2024.
Several publications have been published, submitted or being written (see previous section). The REWILDING team as a whole wrote one article on the multispecies assemblage as a research framework, which is in the final stage before publication. Finally, five doctoral theses are currently in progress.
REWILDING has developed close collaborations with scholars and their research institute in Zambia (University of Zambia), Botswana (Okavango Research Institute) and Namibia (University of Namibia), as well as with key stakeholders including the veterinary and conservation departments in Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana.
Moreover, two workshops on rewilding involving international scholars took place in Germany in February and May 2024. Currently, REWILDING is organizing the publication of a special issue based on the results of both workshops. Two further international and publishing workshops are planned for early 2025 in Germany – one focused on forest and rewilding, and the other one on human-elephant relations.
REWILDING has been well represented in international scientific conferences, including at the European Conference for African Studies in June 2023, and the 2024 conferences of the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST), and of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA). REWILDING members will also participate in the PATHWAYS Europe conference on human dimensions of rewilding in October 2024.
Several publications have been published, submitted or being written (see previous section). The REWILDING team as a whole wrote one article on the multispecies assemblage as a research framework, which is in the final stage before publication. Finally, five doctoral theses are currently in progress.