Whiteboard Presentations (Raeann, Shelby, and Alec)

Yesterday and today we had the last of our student whiteboard presentations for the program. Raeann presented yesterday on land use and resource conflicts existing in the Okavango Delta. Her study examined four villages in the Okavango and assessed their livelihood activities in conjunction with land use conflicts including the implementation of veterinary fences and human-wildlife conflict in the area.

Today Shelby presented on the success of community-based natural resource mangement (CBNRM) in Malawi and Botswana. CBNRM is based on the idea that communities should and could satisfactorily manage their own resources according to their local customs, knowledge, and technologies, however these projects do not often end in success.

Afterwards, Alec presented on the influence of CBNRM on traditional livelihood strategies in the Okavango Delta. His article examined three communities in the Okavango Delta and assessed their livelihood strategies before and after the implementation of CBNRM, with hunting and farming making up most of these strategies before and CBNRM employment the majority afterwards.

Raeann presenting on land use and resource conflicts in the Okavango.

Shelby with her presentation on CBNRM.

Alec with his presentation on livelihood strategies in the Okavango.