Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia

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dc.contributor.advisorHolmes, P Jen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKibbassa, Jane Andrew Nyanjumaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-09-14T18:04:30Z
dc.date.available2015-09-14T18:04:30Z
dc.date.issued1997en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographies.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractLand degradation has been recognised as a major economic, social and environmental problem, with more severity in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa. Throughout the dryland regions of Africa natural resources are deteriorating at an accelerating pace. This ecological degradation is caused by overexploitation of resources, and severely undermines Africa's economic future which is largely dependent on agriculture. Amongst the main factors contributing to land degradation in drylands are human actions that ignore the resilience limits of drylands. The ecology of drylands requires land uses that allow flexibility and mobility rather than imposing stability. During the last century, technology and cultural changes have altered the pattern of exploitation of arid and semi-arid areas. Most often the changes are driven by economic needs or national governments policies. Governments tend to make decisions, even if well intended, without prior assessments of the environmental suitability of the intended sites. In most dryland regions the tendency has been towards development of permanent settlements in under-utilised areas leading to increases in population densities beyond the areas' ecological capacity. The result has been overutilisation of natural resources particularly around available water points. This has in turn led to accelerated ecological and cultural decline, and has enhanced the process of land degradation. This dissertation provides a theoretical framework of ecological characteristics and the socio-economic adaptations of dryland environments. The factors contributing to land degradation in arid and semi-arid lands are examined. Examples are drawn from a resettlement programme and the subsequent provision of boreholes in a semi-arid area in Gam, Namibia. The dissertation specifically seeks to examine the Government of Namibia's political decision on a resettlement programme in Gam and evaluate the impacts of resettlement on ecological and socio-economic variables in Gam.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationKibbassa, J. A. N. (1997). <i>Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13884en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationKibbassa, Jane Andrew Nyanjuma. <i>"Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13884en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationKibbassa, J. 1997. Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Kibbassa, Jane Andrew Nyanjuma AB - Land degradation has been recognised as a major economic, social and environmental problem, with more severity in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa. Throughout the dryland regions of Africa natural resources are deteriorating at an accelerating pace. This ecological degradation is caused by overexploitation of resources, and severely undermines Africa's economic future which is largely dependent on agriculture. Amongst the main factors contributing to land degradation in drylands are human actions that ignore the resilience limits of drylands. The ecology of drylands requires land uses that allow flexibility and mobility rather than imposing stability. During the last century, technology and cultural changes have altered the pattern of exploitation of arid and semi-arid areas. Most often the changes are driven by economic needs or national governments policies. Governments tend to make decisions, even if well intended, without prior assessments of the environmental suitability of the intended sites. In most dryland regions the tendency has been towards development of permanent settlements in under-utilised areas leading to increases in population densities beyond the areas' ecological capacity. The result has been overutilisation of natural resources particularly around available water points. This has in turn led to accelerated ecological and cultural decline, and has enhanced the process of land degradation. This dissertation provides a theoretical framework of ecological characteristics and the socio-economic adaptations of dryland environments. The factors contributing to land degradation in arid and semi-arid lands are examined. Examples are drawn from a resettlement programme and the subsequent provision of boreholes in a semi-arid area in Gam, Namibia. The dissertation specifically seeks to examine the Government of Namibia's political decision on a resettlement programme in Gam and evaluate the impacts of resettlement on ecological and socio-economic variables in Gam. DA - 1997 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1997 T1 - Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia TI - Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13884 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/13884
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationKibbassa JAN. Land degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibia. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 1997 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13884en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherEnvironmental Scienceen_ZA
dc.titleLand degradation in drylands : resettlement and borehole provision in Gam, Namibiaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMPhilen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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