GAIA Case Study: Zimbabwe Landuse in Dry Tropical Savannas

Color Icon Zimbabwe:
Landuse in Dry Tropical Savannas

Case Study Report

Issues (and links to Agenda 21 ):

Indicators

Summary: The study will focus on a fragile ecozone known as the Limpopo Valley , straddling the Limpopo river. The river marks the political boundary between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Land use conflict issues of the Limpopo valley in southern Zimbabwe will be specifically looked at, and similar cases across the border in northern South Africa will be highlighted.

Objectives: The main objective of the study is to develop an integrated approach to sustainable natural resource management in a fragile ecosystem (dry savanna) with a focus on conflicts between wildlife and agricultural land use. The long-term objective should be to enable the people in the area to achieve sustainable livelihoods. This objective should be the integrating factor in policy decisions to address issues of development, sustainable resource management and poverty eradication in line with Agenda 21.

Color Icon Location and Additional Information Resources:

Location name: Limpopo Valley, Zimbabwe
Latitude: 20^o to 23^o South
Longitude: 30^o to 32^o East
Size of study area:
Population: ca. 9,000,000 (Zimbabwe total)
Population Trends
Topography:
Climate
CIA Factbook (2008)
The Zimbabwe Page
(maintained by the African Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania)