Links between ecosystem services and poverty alleviation: situation analysis for arid and semi-arid lands in southern Africa

Humans have always depended upon natural ecosystems to supply a range of services useful for their survival and well-being. However, with widespread urbanisation, modernisation, and globalisation, along with the primacy of capitalist economic models, the obvious reliance of humans on ecosystems has become diluted for many, and difficult to maintain for others. This report presents the findings of a situation analysis, covering the arid and semi-arid lands of southern Africa. The authors discuss evidence of the links between ecosystem services and human well-being, and especially the opportunities for poverty alleviation through the provision and management of ecosystem services. <br /><br />Focusing specifically on Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe the document highlights how across all these selected countries, a broad gradient of decreasing aridity is evident at a sub-continental scale from the west coasts of Namibia and South Africa to the east coast of Mozambique. A summary list is established of all ecosystem services and their categorisation as provisioning, supporting, regulating or cultural. <br /><br />Areas considered in this study include: provisioning services regulating services cultural services drivers of ecosystem change trends in ecosystem services management interventions capacity gaps communication & outreach strategies The authors conclude that investments in managing and securing ecosystem services alone will not eradicate poverty. It needs to be part, but a significant part, of broader poverty alleviation initiatives. They also note that there is inadequate consideration of poverty alleviation issues by ecosystem management agencies, and there is practically no consideration of ecosystem resources and impacts by social welfare or economic development agencies (other than tourism projects). A number of other conclusions and recommendations are outlined.<br />