Induced volition: Resettlement from the Limpopo National Park, Mozambique

This paper focuses on the resettlement process taking place in the context of the creation of the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, which is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. About 27,000 people are currently living in the park; 7000 of whom are meant to be resettled to areas along the margins of the park. The Mozambican government and donors funding the creation of the park have maintained that no forced relocation will take place. However, the pressure created by restrictions on livelihood strategies resulting from park regulations, and the increased presence of wildlife has forced some communities to ‘accept’ the resettlement option. Nevertheless, donors and park authorities present the resettlement exercise as a development project. In the article we describe how the dynamics of the regional political economy of conservation led to the adoption of a park model and instigated a resettlement process that obtained the label ‘voluntary’. We analyse the nuances of volition and the emergent contradictions in the resettlement policy proces

The role of research in conflict over natural resources. Experiences from the ‘Competing Claims’ programme in Mozambique

‘Complex’ problem situations are characterised by conflicting societal values and interests and high levels of uncertainty about agro-ecological and/or social dynamics. We are continuously confronted with such contexts, e.g. in the sphere of natural resource management, agricultural chains and rural development. In complex problem solving situations outcomes are shaped eventually by negotiation processes among stakeholders. The quality of such negotiations is often far from optimal in terms of equitability, bargaining power, representation and compatibility of argumentation skills. Moreover, availability of and/or access to knowledge and validated information about interrelations and dynamics in complex systems is often lacking. Implicit to ideas such as ‘post normal science’ and ‘mode 2 science’ is the assumption that scientists have something to offer that may improve the quality of such negotiations. In terms of theories about conflict management, one could say the assumption is that scientists may contribute to shifting negotiations from being ‘distributive’ (i.e. dividing a cake on the basis of existing power balances), to being ‘integrative’ (i.e. baking a new cake on the basis of exchange of perspectives, joint exploration, collaborative research. Based on a number of observations on how knowledge is used and mobilised in social interaction, this presentation will identify a number of reasons to be sceptical about such expectations, but also point to opportunities and ways in which impacts may indeed be realised. These issues will be discussed against the background of the recently started interdisciplinary action research programme ‘Competing Claims for Natural Resources’ in Southern Africa. Keywords: conflict, action research, negotiation, complex problem

Three interwoven dimensions of natural resource use: Quantity, quality and access in the Great Limpopo transfrontier conservation area

Quality and quantity of natural resources are often studied in isolation from access. We question the usefulness of this separation for resolving conflicts over natural resources and present an approach that facilitates a deeper understanding of natural resource use through a joint analysis of quantity of, quality of and access to resources. The approach was developed as part of an in-depth case study of resettlement in southern Mozambique in which newly resettled residents struggled to reestablish their livelihoods. We estimated the quality and quantity of, and investigated rules and norms of access to four key natural resources: water, agricultural fields, grazing, and forest resources in both pre- and post-resettlement. We then contrast this with the actual access that resettled residents gained to these resources in practice, what we call ‘accessing.’ Our analysis suggests that locally-specific, dynamic relationships among quality, quantity and access are critically important for understanding human-environment interactions and natural resource-based livelihoods

Chilli anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum species§

Anthracnose disease is one of the major economic constraints to chilli production worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Accurate taxonomic information is necessary for effective disease control management. In the Colletotrichum patho-system, different Colletotrichum species can be associated with anthracnose of the same host. Little information is known concerning the interactions of the species associated with the chilli anthracnose although several Colletotrichum species have been reported as causal agents of chilli anthracnose disease worldwide. The ambiguous taxonomic status of Colletotrichum species has resulted in inaccurate identification which may cause practical problems in plant breeding and disease management. Although the management and control of anthracnose disease are still being extensively researched, commercial cultivars of Capsicum annuum that are resistant to the pathogens that cause chilli anthracnose have not yet been developed. This paper reviews the causal agents of chilli anthracnose, the disease cycle, conventional methods in identification of the pathogen and molecular approaches that have been used for the identification of Colletotrichum species. Pathogenetic variation and population structure of the causal agents of chilli anthracnose along with the current taxonomic status of Colletotrichum species are discussed. Future developments leading to the disease management strategies are suggested