IAD Community Grant Supports Research on Community Fisheries in Namibia’s Zambezi Region
Cornell PhD candidate Aalayna R. Green community project on “Care, Instead of Violence: Building Capacity & Countering Violence with Communal Fisheries in the Zambezi,” explores how community-managed fisheries could help strengthen local livelihoods along the Chobe River, where fishing plays a central role in daily life. For many households in the region, fishing provides both income and an important source of food. The project was funded by the Institute for African Development (IAD) Africa Community Grant.
At the same time, the river is also an international boundary between Namibia and Botswana. In some areas, fishermen from local Namibian communities have encountered difficulties while fishing near the border, including interactions with the Botswana Defense Force (BDF), which patrols parts of the river. These encounters have occasionally led to tensions that affect fishing activities and the security of local livelihoods.
Green’s research examines whether communal fisheries could offer a more stable framework for managing fishing access while supporting both community needs and sustainable resource use. The project places particular emphasis on approaches that are grounded in local knowledge and community participation.
One part of the work involves mapping fishing activity along the Chobe River. This mapping will help identify areas where fishing commonly takes place and locations that might support community-managed fishing points. It will also help clarify how communities currently use and depend on the river.
The project will also organize workshops and discussions with community members, village leadership, and regional stakeholders from both Namibia and Botswana. These gatherings are intended to share knowledge about fisheries management while opening space for dialogue about community experiences and potential cooperative solutions.
By focusing on community engagement and local capacity-building, the project aims to support fishing communities in the region while encouraging more collaborative approaches to managing shared natural resources.
Green is a PhD candidate at Cornell University, affiliated with the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) and the Department of Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies (College of Arts & Sciences). Her research examines the connections between conservation, livelihoods, and social justice.
The IAD Community Grant program supports Cornell students conducting research and community-engaged work across Africa. Projects like this highlight how locally grounded approaches can contribute to both sustainable resource management and community well-being.