Poloko presented on Social Variation in Natural Resources Use in the Okavango Delta Wetland System, Botswana

As part of our virtual seminar series, on 18/08/25, Poloko shared insights from his study exploring how rural communities in the Okavango Delta rely on natural resources and how this use varies along the wetland’s hydrological gradient.Using data from 143 households in three distinct zones (upper, middle, and distal), the study revealed that resource use is highest in the middle Delta, likely due to greater availability. However, across all sites, communities perceive a steady decline in natural resource stocks over time.The findings underscore the need for: Alternative livelihood options to reduce dependency on natural resources and Policy attention to how resource dynamics affect Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and rural resilience.