Okavango River Under Threat of Development

Okavango River Under Threat of Development Host: The Okavango River is one of the last great undeveloped rivers in Africa but it won’t remain so for long. The countries it flows through now want to use Okavango waters to help develop their economies. Unless a binding agreement is made, the river and its water could become a potential source of regional conflict. The Okavango is shared by three countries: Starting in Angola, the river flows along the Namibian border and drains out into the Kalahari Desert in Botswana. About ten thousand million cubic meters of water per year empty as the Okavango delta. See relatively unspoiled wet land and a World Heritage Site. The delta is home to a diversity of plant and animal life, virtually unrivalled in Africa. Peter Ashton: The Okavango is extraordinarily special. It’s one of the most unique mixes of different habitats in terms of the variety and numbers of habitats that is over a hundred and fifty-five thousand islands in it. The huge ranged of clamps and animal and bird species as a whole, it's extraordinary, it's special, and it’s unique. Gubaake Gubaake: Mostly of us you know have nothing to see you know this one ends up in the desert. So it's very unique in that sense and the beauty of it is just amazing going to -- it’s an amazing place. Host: But the Okavango is more than just a wildlife sanctuary over a million people is also dependents on the deltas riches. Tony Turton: It's the last wild African river and because of that you have a very closed relationship between the humans that live in the area and the eco system. They see themselves as part of the ecosystem, they see the river is having a spiritual value to them and they respect that. Host: People here are worried that if the river is developed upstream the delta will dry out and they’ll lose their life line. Big Boy: This River is important to me and also to the people around because you know we gather fruits form this river, organic foods that you know water released fruits from trees, fish, and -- If the grasses dry up people will die. We will die of thirsty also they will -- because they used this create this fruit and all fish in this river. Host: Geologically the delta is a very fragile place size make changes deep below the surface can swallow up streams living villagers stranded. The ferry’s that with more development upstream but delta could dry up all together. Malepe Mosarozi: The dryness that we see in our area affected one of the whole of land. As we can see this tree behind me it is very dry, it has been dry for a quite a long time. And this is actually is difficult situation for us. Host: With local communities entirely dependent on water that comes from an upstream country and two decades of sever dryness in the region. The river levels are already very low. People struggle to make a living as it is. Mazungra Moheto: We have certain problems. With this we can only give use about five, six or seven fish.