COVID-19 (2022 Deadline)
Friction and flows: understanding COVID-19 impacts on the wildlife economy in southern Africa
PI: Annette Hübschle (Annette.Hubschle@uct.ac.za), University of Cape Town
U.S. Partner: Meredith Gore, University of Maryland
Project Dates: November 1, 2022 - March 30, 2024
Project Overview:
 | | USAID, NAS and DSI reps visit Prof. Hubschle and her team at University of Cape town University, May 2023 |  | | |
The aim of this project is to enhance understanding about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions on the wildlife economy of southern Africa. USAID has invested substantial resources in building the wildlife economy, ensuring that benefits reach traditionally marginalized groups, including women. Unfortunately, an illegal wildlife economy persists and appears to have grown since the onset of the pandemic, undermining sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. The PI and her colleagues will leverage insights, concepts, and methods from criminology, sociology and conservation biology in carrying out the project. Their U.S. partner Dr. Gore’s expertise in risk mapping and behavioral analysis will be an asset to the project; she will contribute subject matter expertise in conservation criminology, participatory risk mapping, women and wildlife trafficking, and human dimensions of global environmental change.
Increased understanding of COVID-19 impacts on the wildlife economy can improve targeting of solutions that create bridges for inequalities among women, youth, and other previously disadvantaged populations; inform decision-making about economic empowerment activities for women, youth, and previously disadvantaged populations that could help reduce inequality in income distribution, as well as dependence of households on social grants; support opportunities to mitigate threats to biodiversity and support future growth including governance of natural resources, expanding biodiversity stewardship programs already under way and developing national capacity to adapt to impacts of climate change; and promote evidence-based policies and practices that promote employment. The wildlife economy has provided, and can continue to provide, enterprise-driven economic growth, increased resilience among women, youth, and other vulnerable citizens via increased civil engagement, political participation, and personal security. Illuminating frictions and flows of COVID-19 on the wildlife economy can inform supply chain adaptation and resilience efforts relevant to a variety of crucial sectors. COVID-19 related frictions may inhibit private sector investment and undermine the rule of law in general, and they can distort and constrain markets that are known to enhance efforts to reduce rural poverty. Without understanding how COVID-19 and related public health measures have impacted the wildlife economy, including friction and flows, it is impossible to reinforce, reset, or recalibrate strategies to positively impact development. Development objectives include reducing rural poverty, building capacity to meet critical needs of women, youth, and other vulnerable populations, including their empowerment, productivity, and engagement.
This project is jointly supported by the South Africa Department of Science and Innovation.
Project Updates:
As of September 2023 the project team has made good progress despite initial project launch delays resulting in postponement of data collection at all three research sites. - Drs. Gore and Hübschle undertook fieldwork in Zanzibar/Tanzania in July 2023
- Dr. Hübschle presented a paper on the conceptual framework «Frictions and Flows» at the International Conference of the Society for the Advancement of Socio Economics in Rio de Janeiro in July 2023
- Drs. Hübschle and Gore have written an article for Global Environmental Change – the article is in submission
- Student assistants Ms Relebohile Mokotedi and Ms Savannah van den Heever are busy compiling datasets and case studies that will form the basis of our policy briefs
The final crucial research permit from South African National Parks was approved in early September 2023, but has yet to be issued. Due to delays with research permissions and data collection in Zambia and Tanzania, the team will need to shift the South African fieldwork to early 2024 utilizing additional time granted until March 2024 and supplemental funding USAID for these delayed activities. The remainder of this year will be taken up by a field trip to Zambia in October 2023 and a visit to US Co- Investigator Dr. Gore and the partner institution in November 2023.
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