Search

Many countries in southern Africa promote nature tourism as a strategy for sustainable rural development. In Namibia and Mozambique, this strategy often involves integrated conservation and development programs (ICDPs) that aim to preserve the environment and improve economic well-being. We find some evidence that households located in areas with ICDPs receive more tourism-related economic benefits relative to households that are not; however, we find that higher economic outcomes do not necessarily correspond to more satisfaction with nature tourism. We find that conservation, although it is commonly viewed as a means of preservation, contributes to the disruption of landscapes and livelihoods. This study investigates the factors shaping local perceptions of conservation, and its findings can enhance the effectiveness of nature tourism as a sustainable development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societies dependent on rain-fed agriculture are highly vulnerable to weather extremes; thus, linkages between rainfall variability and economic well-being merit close attention. The hypothesis of this paper is that rainfall patterns impact changes in income within our study region of central and northern Mozambique. Utilizing satellite-based estimates of rainfall analyzed within a GIS, we establish a 12-year rainfall climatology and calculate monthly rainfall anomalies for 419 villages during three growing seasons. We also approximate storm-total rainfall from tropical cyclones entering the Mozambique Channel. Hierarchical cluster analysis groups the villages according to the monthly rainfall anomalies and rainfall received from Cyclones Delfina and Japhet. Then, using data from the National Agricultural Survey of Mozambique conducted in 2002 and 2005, we relate rainfall and change in income through the calculation of Pearson's correlation coefficients and independent-samples t tests using village-groups produced by the cluster analysis. We find that no season closely approximates the 12-year climatology and that rainfall varied among the three seasons. Although most villages experience income declines, those affected by Delfina exhibit the worst economic performance, indicating that heavy rainfall from some tropical cyclones can have long-lasting negative effects on income. Additionally, receiving above-normal rainfall may hinder economic well-being more than below-normal rainfall. Our study identifies patterns in sub-national rainfall variability and economic well-being that enable a more detailed understanding of weather-related effects on socio-economic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prohibitions against wildlife hunting often have impoverishing outcomes for rural households. Previous research has emphasized the financial losses and attributed material deprivation as the motivation for illegal wildlife hunting. However, this narrow focus does not capture the values rural communities ascribe to hunting nor consider the broader outcomes hunting bans have on multidimensional well-being. In this study, we utilize Amartya Sen's capability approach to gain a deeper understanding of hunting bans' effects. Iterative content analysis of 435 interviews with respondents from three study sites located within or near protected areas in southern Africa revealed that individuals hunt for three primary reasons: to procure meat for household consumption, to manage human-wildlife conflict, and to generate revenue via commercial poaching. When detailing the impacts of hunting prohibitions, respondents overwhelmingly emphasized the instrumental value of hunting. They described significant material losses that are deeply intertwined with a broad range of non-material costs to well-being. The strongest objections to wildlife regulations centered on how they serve to humanize animals while de-humanizing people. Additionally, the non-material impacts of hunting bans exacerbated discontent with material losses arising from conservation. We find a need to critically examine the non-material losses of conservation given their potential to alienate rural communities, increase resistance, and undermine local residents' voluntary participation in conservation efforts. • Anti-hunting laws can undermine the legitimacy of conservation initiatives. • Hunting was valued for primarily material reasons. • Enforcement of anti-hunting laws diminishes multiple dimensions of well-being. • Non-material costs of hunting bans exacerbate discontent with the material losses. • Resistance motives for illegal wildlife hunting can emerge and strengthen over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]