Role of agency in envisioning future human-nature relationships in the context of road infrastructure development in the Kavango-Zambezi region, Namibia

Using participatory mapping as a tool of collective visualization of the futures that the community desired versus those that are probable, amidst road development, we aimed to understand the role of agency (their influence) in defining the land use and development patterns of their surroundings. Simply, if the desired visuals differ significantly from the probable one, we argue then that the locals thought they had little influence in how their surroundings and land use will unfold, in future. Furthermore, based on their proximity to roads, we examined how communities valued nature: Nature for Nature, Nature for Society and Nature for Culture.

The study brought together diverse groups (based on age, gender, education levels, local leaders and samll-scale farmers) to debate, imagine and visualize their ‘futures’. The exercise was also a reminder of their relationship with nature – stuff that they took for granted such as Nature’s provisioning and its role in their culture.