Shade or Energy: Resource Views At the Kunene River (Angola/Namibia)

Abstract

"This case study draws on a politically sensitive situation in Southern Angola and Northern Namibia where national and local interests conflict over the use of river water in a very narrow riparian stretch of the Cunene river, forming what can be described as a line oasis. Access to this riparian area is key to the current livestock production capacity. Added to this is an intense focus by international NGOs on the issue of potential hydropower production.

"The riparian zone has different meanings in terms of a common resource: It forms a pivotal component in a local pastoral production system, providing livestock reproduction resources (fodder, water and not least shade). It represents an emergency food area for both humans and animals during critical weeks of the seasonal cycle. It holds the potential to be a national asset for improved self-reliance and political independence from the big neighbour, South Africa. It is located within the SADC region political domain, though still with insufficient legally binding agreements. Finally, it is an international issue because of the plans for hydropower production.

"The inhabitants of this riparian zone subsist primarily on livestock rearing. While the cultural tradition of relying on riparian commons has deep historic roots, the current social forms are relatively new. Today's so-called traditional pastoral Himba society is, to a great extent, shaped by colonial events (Portuguese, German and South African dominance). The pastoral production system relies on the riparian zone in a seemingly sustainable fashion, but eco-tourism and unemployment seem to begin to degrade both physical and social landscapes.

"With the possible introduction of a hydropower project in this setting, yet another large-scale impact seems likely. The paper focuses on social consequences and how common resources are perceived and maintained. The different views of the primary users on the riparian commons are accounted for, and are contrasted with a number of interpretations of community interests. In the final analysis, the ethical issue boils down to how the riparian interests of a small population, in this case only partly seasonal, can be balanced with the democratic rights of a majority population."