Miombo Ecoregion Vision Report - Biodiversity Foundation for Africa

Miombo Ecoregion Report, page 34
5. SOCIO-ECONOMIC FEATURES AND PROCESSES
5.1 Socio-Economic Context
The outstanding feature of the Miombo Ecoregion is the existence of inter-linkages between
biophysical features and processes on one hand, and socio-economic factors and realities on the
other, in what has been termed the socio-ecological model. The socio-ecological nature of the
ecoregion defines both the vision for the conservation of its biodiversity and the methodological
approaches to be pursued.
Whilst conservation areas for the ecoregion are biologically defined, i.e. conservation targets are
chosen on the basis of the biophysical characteristics, such as species diversity, endemism, etc.,
socio-economic variables tend to alter the biological parameters either positively or negatively.
The very fact that the ecoregion straddles across national boundaries of 11 countries lends itself
to peculiarities associated with policy and legislation pertaining to conservation. The positive and
negative influences of socio-economic factors on the natural environment stems primarily from
the dependence of humans on natural resources in pursuit of livelihood strategies. Such
dependence stems from the historical and cultural linkages that have evolved over time. These
linkages are characterised by feedback loops between people and the environment.
The role of socio-economic factors and processes within the ecoregion tends to be both direct and
indirect, working at both the local scale and higher level scales. Human beings, the key socioeconomic
agents, tend to respond to both internal and external factors and forces in their
interaction with the environment. These factors and forces include their history, culture,
economic and political circumstances, institutional arrangements and natural phenomena. Their
response to these stimuli in pursuit of positive livelihood paths determines the biophysical
integrity of the natural resource base which supports the livelihood options. In essence, people, as
economic and social agents, aim to maximise their welfare from the consumption of goods and
services, which are primarily provided by the environment. It is in light of this relationship that
we recognise socio-economic variables as being key to the conservation of resources in the
ecoregion. The socio-economic variables can be both threatening or enhancing the conservation
of the ecoregion and its biodiversity.
5.2 Key Socio-Economic Features and Processes
The socio-economic realities are driven by key features and processes. It is from these
overarching features and processes that socio-economic threats and opportunities emanate. They
form the linkages between the human and biophysical components of the ecoregion.
5.2.1 Socio-Political Factors
The Miombo Ecoregion covers over 3.8 million km 2 in 11 central and southern African countries
of Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique,
Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The human population in this area is
estimated at 60 million, with an overall density of about 16 people per km 2 (Campbell 1996).
Human population density over much of the ecoregion is therefore still low and patchy in
comparison with other savanna regions of Africa under similar climatic conditions, although the
situation is changing. The density of livestock is also relatively low. Reasons for this