mining, deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural practices)?

areas…Council is given money so there is no way out. We tried to form committees to lobby for benefits as a community since our livestock are dying and we breathe [coal] dust everyday but it was to no avail.” In Binga, a key informant explains how fishing companies from Harare are blamed: “In the past we had functional fishing associations and … we would regulate fishing, choose fishing areas and those who did not follow fishing regulations were fined. Unfortunately, this system is no longer functional. We now have an influx of rich fishermen from outside of Binga, who do as they please. Fishing has become very political and unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in the number of fish catches in the Zambezi. This is affecting the livelihood of local fishermen - less yields mean low incomes.”

3.4 Are individuals and communities aware of how and why natural resources are being degraded?

Study participants mentioned lack of awareness as the reason for resource degradation in six interviews. However almost everyone consulted, from community level to government departments, showed a broad and deep understanding of environmental systems and their importance. For example, most participants stated the relationship between poor soil management practices in arable and grazing areas and siltation of water systems. Most are extremely aware of and seriously concerned about the severe resource degradation in their communities. Deforestation in Nkayi was hard for some communities to perceive due to its gradual nature. Awareness is also lower than what it could be due to the lack of monitoring of resource degradation. Based on responses from Agritex officers, the need for long term measures to improve soil fertility (such as increasing soil organic matter content) appears to be the least well understood NRM practice. This issue of lack of awareness is discussed in more detail in section 3.5.

3.5 What are the reasons and motivations for the current practices that contribute to land degradation and unstainable use of water by

market actors, communities, and households (including mining, deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural practices)?

The reasons and motivations were varied and are presented here (figure 6) in order of frequency of mention in FGDs and KIIs. Poor governance is discussed further under barriers to implementation of successful practices (section 3.7). Basic survival as a reason for resource degradation, was mentioned 44 times in FGD and KII responses. In the FGDs, women more frequently mentioned basic survival (18 times), than men did (eight times). The study suggests that basic survival is the main driver for most individuals abusing natural resources since they have no other way of making a living. Furthermore, the livelihoods from resource exploitation that these individuals do engage in barely produce enough for them to survive. For many, farming no longer provides enough for even subsistence, so many have turned to activities such as brickmaking and sale of firewood, river sand, wild fruits, and carvings to earn money to buy food and pay for basic expenses. Other basic needs such as housebuilding materials, fuelwood, and water have no substitutes and must come from the local environment. An FGD of middle-aged men from Nkayi summed up the issue saying: “People need income and feel it’s better to degrade the natural resources than to steal from other community members.” Also, an EHT explained: “There is not much concern about the future when people have pressing issues now.”