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Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia
Marginal communities living in semi-arid Namibia face significant challenges in sustaining rural livelihoods due to environmental degradation and poverty. Research has shown that livestock farming depends on rain-fed agriculture among other things, thus making communal farmers vulnerable to climate...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
2021
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| _version_ | 1867613212209315841 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Joshi, Nivedita |
| author2 | Spear, Dian |
| author_browse | Joshi, Nivedita Spear, Dian |
| author_facet | Spear, Dian Joshi, Nivedita |
| author_sort | Joshi, Nivedita |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Marginal communities living in semi-arid Namibia face significant challenges in sustaining rural livelihoods due to environmental degradation and poverty. Research has shown that livestock farming depends on rain-fed agriculture among other things, thus making communal farmers vulnerable to climate change in the future. Given this, it often makes sense for farmers to sell their livestock and explore alternative livelihood options. However, farmers in northcentral Namibia are reluctant to sell their livestock despite a noticeable temperature increase and rainfall decrease over the past forty years. This study analyses the barriers to selling livestock in the face of a drought in the Omusati region of north-central Namibia. The study was carried out in three villages namely Omahanene, Okathitukeengombe and Oshihau, in the north-central Omusati region of Namibia. Household livestock distribution, perceptions of climate change, barriers to the sale of livestock and alternative livelihood strategies from other semi-arid regions were explored among 30 households using semi-structured household interviews and a systematic literature review. Results from the study indicate that 80% of communal farmers predict future droughts in the region and able to recall climate change through frequent droughts, increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall. Farmers claimed that these changes have affected their livestock numbers. However, several barriers including cultural beliefs, lack of financial security, access to information, lack of institutional support and lack of efficient markets hinder livestock sales. The study suggests that the imminent impact of climate change coupled with the reluctance to sell livestock will threaten food security in the future. The study argues that rural livelihood diversification strategies are critical to safeguarding sustainable livelihoods in the future, including those of communal livestock farmers specifically. Additionally, policy recommendations like access to credit through public and private funding, access to markets by providing transportation facilities, encouraging market participation by improving quality of grazing lands, increasing water availability, building veterinary facilities, employing extension officers and access to information through reliable channels can help build a sustainable future in the face of climate risks. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33821 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:33.381Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | Department of Environmental and Geographical Science |
| publisherStr | Department of Environmental and Geographical Science |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33821 Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia Joshi, Nivedita Spear, Dian Ziervogel, Gina Barriers to climate change adaptation Livestock Drought Livelihood diversification Namibia Marginal communities living in semi-arid Namibia face significant challenges in sustaining rural livelihoods due to environmental degradation and poverty. Research has shown that livestock farming depends on rain-fed agriculture among other things, thus making communal farmers vulnerable to climate change in the future. Given this, it often makes sense for farmers to sell their livestock and explore alternative livelihood options. However, farmers in northcentral Namibia are reluctant to sell their livestock despite a noticeable temperature increase and rainfall decrease over the past forty years. This study analyses the barriers to selling livestock in the face of a drought in the Omusati region of north-central Namibia. The study was carried out in three villages namely Omahanene, Okathitukeengombe and Oshihau, in the north-central Omusati region of Namibia. Household livestock distribution, perceptions of climate change, barriers to the sale of livestock and alternative livelihood strategies from other semi-arid regions were explored among 30 households using semi-structured household interviews and a systematic literature review. Results from the study indicate that 80% of communal farmers predict future droughts in the region and able to recall climate change through frequent droughts, increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall. Farmers claimed that these changes have affected their livestock numbers. However, several barriers including cultural beliefs, lack of financial security, access to information, lack of institutional support and lack of efficient markets hinder livestock sales. The study suggests that the imminent impact of climate change coupled with the reluctance to sell livestock will threaten food security in the future. The study argues that rural livelihood diversification strategies are critical to safeguarding sustainable livelihoods in the future, including those of communal livestock farmers specifically. Additionally, policy recommendations like access to credit through public and private funding, access to markets by providing transportation facilities, encouraging market participation by improving quality of grazing lands, increasing water availability, building veterinary facilities, employing extension officers and access to information through reliable channels can help build a sustainable future in the face of climate risks. 2021-08-24T01:49:05Z 2021-08-24T01:49:05Z 2021 2021-08-24T00:09:39Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33821 eng application/pdf Department of Environmental and Geographical Science Faculty of Science |
| spellingShingle | Barriers to climate change adaptation Livestock Drought Livelihood diversification Namibia Joshi, Nivedita Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| title_full | Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| title_fullStr | Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| title_short | Barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the Omusati Region of North Central Namibia |
| title_sort | barriers to selling livestock in the face of drought in the omusati region of north central namibia |
| topic | Barriers to climate change adaptation Livestock Drought Livelihood diversification Namibia |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33821 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT joshinivedita barrierstosellinglivestockinthefaceofdroughtintheomusatiregionofnorthcentralnamibia |