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

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 1.Chronic (e.g., Joblessness, illness, death and resettlement) 2.Acute (e.g., rain floods) 3.Recurring (drought and livestock losses) 4.Intermittent (e.g., veld / forest fires, marital problems) Typologies of stresses

7 Linking stresses and livelihoods

8 Drought-experiencing households and single livelihood option

9 Link between no. of livelihoods & exposure to drought

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

11 EffectsHousehold responseImpactsHousehold response to impacts HouseholdsBiophysicalShort-termAdaptation Loss of grazing areas 1. livestock off-take by selling and slaughtering  2. grass from other villages  3. buying fodder  1. loss of income  2. poverty  3. school drop-out  1. land degradation  2. erosion  3. dead trees  1. selling wood and poles  2. cooperatives  3. relocation of livestock  1. expansion of livelihood portfolios  2. community gardening and cropping Livestock loss  1. relocation of livestock  2. dependence on pension  3. selling wood  4. sold small animals  5. support from neighbours  6. used stored maize  7. trade in used clothes  1. school drop-out  2. loss of business capital  3. poverty  4. food insecurity  5. high illiteracy rate  6. family migration 7. resource use conflicts  1. plant regeneration  2. pollution by carcasses  1. sold cattle to buy food  2. wood barter for cattle feed  3. relocation to other villages  4. destocking livestock  5. cattle fed on anything green  1. manageable livestock  2. diversifying livelihood options  3. livestock restocking  4. increased bank savings Food shortages / poor harvest  1. family lived on pension  2. borrowing money  3. sold wild fruits/carvings  4. food parcels  5. social networking  6. stored maize  7. worked for food/sold some cattle  8. relocating to other villages  1. malnutrition  2. disrupted household responsibilities  3. big family to support ____  1. maize storage facility  2. expansion of fields for cropping  3. diversifying livelihood options Water shortage  1. water from far villages  2. digging springs in dried streams and around dams  no water for household use  plants and animals died ____ Drought effects & impacts, response & adaptation in Thorndale

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

13 The drought – biodiversity linkage

14 (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] Functions of HH vulnerability to drought

15 Thank U