The Limpopo Basin is home to rich biodiversity and a wide range of habitats. There are significant areas of the landscape protected through conservation, including the Kruger National Park and the Blyde River Canyon. Nevertheless, there is serious land degradation and biodiversity loss caused by mining activities, deforestation, industrial timber plantations, overgrazing, inappropriate agriculture, invasive aliens and veld fires. Major economic activities in the landscape, namely extractive mining industries, commercial agriculture and industrial timber plantations, are controlled by a wealthy minority, while poverty is still widespread.

In response to these stressors, there is important work being carried out related to biodiversity protection, alien invasive plant management systems and community based natural resource management (CBNRM). Rural livelihoods are mostly centered on small scale and subsistence farming. In relation to both large and small scale agriculture, there is important work underway supporting sustainable practices such as agro-ecology, rainwater harvesting and irrigation efficiency. Land claims by previously displaced people are underway in the South African portion of the basin. Integrated natural resource management is essential for effective, sustainable and just custodianship of the landscape in the Limpopo Basin.

Findlay. S (2015) Review of co-management strategies in South Africa: Attempts to reconcile land restitution, biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. Report submitted to the RESILIM-O project, Association of Water and Rural Development, South Africa. 31 March 2015

Pollard. S, Biggs. H and Du Toit. D. (2014). A systemic framework for context-based decision making in natural resource management: Reflections on an integrative assessment of water and livelihood security outcomes following policy reform in South Africa. Ecology and society, 19(2). DOI:10.5751/ES-06312-190263 

Gbetibouo, G. A. (2009). Understanding farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change and variability: The case of the Limpopo Basin, South Africa (Vol. 849). Intl Food Policy Res Inst.

Reslim-O project

This section of the website will be expanded by the LBCIN partners and their works.