Impact of floods on rural livelihoods of people residing in flood prone areas: the caseof Luhonono community in the Zambezi Region of Namibia

Abstract

Thi s study examined the impact of floods on the li velihoods of the community of the Luhonono area, formerly Schuckmannsbu rg, in the Kabbe constituency in the Zambezi region of amibia. The problem identi fied is the persistent flood ing in the Luhonono area, giving rise to the need to examine the impact of floods on the live lihoods of the local community. The study employed both qualitative and quantitati ve approaches, utilis ing both descriptive and exploratory designs. The target population for the study was al l the heads of hou eholds, community leaders and political counci llors of government in Luhonono area. The study applied both purposive sampling and simple random sampling techn iques. Purposive sampling was used to se lect three, in formation-ri ch key in fo rmants; the area Headman, the Counci llor and the Community Development Committee member (CDC). A simple random sampling technique was used to choose a sample of 169 partic ipants from a total of 800 households in the area. Structured questionnaires and an interview guide were used as research instruments to collect the data from the sample. The data col lected was computed using the Excel computer program and the data was analysed by both qua litative and quantitative techniques. Chi Square tests were ca rried out to determine the assoc iation of villages and severity of the flooding to the respondents. Hypotheses to test this association were examined using the Chi Square method. It was estab li shed that there is no association between the villages and the overall severity of the floods in the Luhonono area. This implies that all the villages were equally affected by the fl ood. On the other hand, the results of the study showed that floods impacted more severely on one or more of the crops, livestock, water qua li ty, child education, li ve lihoods and dwellin gs. The results have shown that crops and child education were the most affected. The study fu1ther recommended that the Government of the Republic of amibia should step up the relocation drives (consi dering the willingness of the affected people), linked to positive incentives which would be a longterm so lution, unlike the temporary provision of utilities du ring times of flooding.