Local perceptions of risks to semi-nomadic livelihoods in Namibia:

A case study of the Himba pastoral community

Abstract

This study investigates Himba pastoralists’ perceptions of risks to their livelihoods. Using a semi structured questionnaire, 20 pastoralists from a Himba community were interviewed. The results show that there are multiple perceived risks that are seemingly threatening their livelihoods. Most of the perceived risks are associated with natural resources; primarily the limited sources of water and the lack of adequate pastures. These two are the most important factors to a semi-nomadic lifestyle; hence they pose the greatest threat to their livelihoods. Pressures from both wildlife and the increase in human population have also been recognized as risks to the community. While these perceptions of risks appear to have spurred the community into employing certain management strategies, this has not changed their semi-nomadic way of living as pastoralists. The current management strategies appear to be insufficient in managing the risks. The struggles of farmers in an arid country is expected under the climatic change dynamics, but the provision ofsolutions by the government is limited, especially for human wildlife conflicts. Thus, leaving thesemi-nomadic Himba people to continue being vulnerable to riskswith no feasible solutions at the moment. This begs the question of whether the nomadic way of living has a chance of surviving under the changing climate in dryland countries such as Namibia.