title: The impacts of climate change on cattle water demand and supply in Khurutshe, Botswana

authors: Masike, Sennye

subjects: cattle

abstract: The primary question that the thesis investigates is: what impacts could climate change have on cattle water demand and supply in Khurutshe, Botswana. This thesis is pursued in light of the fact that there is a lack of knowledge on climate change and cattle water demand and supply. Thus, this thesis aims at filling the gap in knowledge on climate change and cattle water resources in Botswana and other semi-arid environments. 

A cattle water demand and supply model is developed to investigate the primary question of the thesis. The model is driven by rainfall and temperature over time as these variables largely determine cattle water supply and demand, respectively. Climate scenarios for 2050 are constructed using SimCLIM (developed by the International Global Change Institute of the University of Waikato) based on HadCM3 and CSIRO Mk2 General Circulation Models (GCMs). Three Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) are used: A1B, A1FT and A1T. These emission scenarios were selected based on their coverage for possible future Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG). Climate scenarios show that by 2050 the temperature for the Khurutshe area could increase by as much as 3 oC depending on the GCM and SRES emission scenario and that there could be a decline in rainfall of up to 14% per month. CSIRO Mk2 displayed the maximum decline in rainfall while HadCM3 depicted the maximum increase in temperature.  

The model is implemented in the Khurutshe of the Kgatleng District, Botswana. The results reported are for Masama Ranch and also for the whole of the Khurutshe area. The results show that climate change could lead to an annual increase of more than 20% in cattle water demand by 2050 due to an increase in temperature. In addition, climate change could lead to a decline in the contribution of surface pan water to cattle water supply. Overall, there could be an increase in abstraction of groundwater for cattle by 2050 due to an increase in demand and a decline in forage water content and surface pan water. Observations in semi-arid environments of Africa indicate that farmers encounter problems of declining borehole yields and local depletion in groundwater in summer and drought years when demand peaks. In addition, it has been observed that during drought more cattle are lost as a result of lack of water, particularly for those whose cattle are reliant on surface water. Thus, the results from this study indicate that climate change could enhance this problem. 

In the thesis I have shown the importance of integrating climate change impacts on water demand and supply when assessing water resources, which has been ignored in the past. Some of the policy options that are discussed are tradable pumping permits for controlling abstraction and allocation issues in the Khurutshe aquifer and, controlling stocking numbers. This is in recognition of the fact that climate change could result in more reliance on groundwater for both cattle farming and urban water supply hence compromising sustainability and allocation issues especially for the Khurutshe aquifer which is earmarked to supply the city of Gaborone and surrounding villages in drought periods.

text: The impacts of climate change on cattle water demand and supply in Khurutshe, Botswana The primary question that the thesis investigates is: what impacts could climate change have on cattle water demand and supply in Khurutshe, Botswana. This thesis is pursued in light of the fact that there is a lack of knowledge on climate change and cattle water demand and supply. Thus, this thesis aims at filling the gap in knowledge on climate change and cattle water resources in Botswana and other semi-arid environments. 

A cattle water demand and supply model is developed to investigate the primary question of the thesis. The model is driven by rainfall and temperature over time as these variables largely determine cattle water supply and demand, respectively. Climate scenarios for 2050 are constructed using SimCLIM (developed by the International Global Change Institute of the University of Waikato) based on HadCM3 and CSIRO Mk2 General Circulation Models (GCMs). Three Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) are used: A1B, A1FT and A1T. These emission scenarios were selected based on their coverage for possible future Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG). Climate scenarios show that by 2050 the temperature for the Khurutshe area could increase by as much as 3 oC depending on the GCM and SRES emission scenario and that there could be a decline in rainfall of up to 14% per month. CSIRO Mk2 displayed the maximum decline in rainfall while HadCM3 depicted the maximum increase in temperature.  

The model is implemented in the Khurutshe of the Kgatleng District, Botswana. The results reported are for Masama Ranch and also for the whole of the Khurutshe area. The results show that climate change could lead to an annual increase of more than 20% in cattle water demand by 2050 due to an increase in temperature. In addition, climate change could lead to a decline in the contribution of surface pan water to cattle water supply. Overall, there could be an increase in abstraction of groundwater for cattle by 2050 due to an increase in demand and a decline in forage water content and surface pan water. Observations in semi-arid environments of Africa indicate that farmers encounter problems of declining borehole yields and local depletion in groundwater in summer and drought years when demand peaks. In addition, it has been observed that during drought more cattle are lost as a result of lack of water, particularly for those whose cattle are reliant on surface water. Thus, the results from this study indicate that climate change could enhance this problem. 

In the thesis I have shown the importance of integrating climate change impacts on water demand and supply when assessing water resources, which has been ignored in the past. Some of the policy options that are discussed are tradable pumping permits for controlling abstraction and allocation issues in the Khurutshe aquifer and, controlling stocking numbers. This is in recognition of the fact that climate change could result in more reliance on groundwater for both cattle farming and urban water supply hence compromising sustainability and allocation issues especially for the Khurutshe aquifer which is earmarked to supply the city of Gaborone and surrounding villages in drought periods.

year: 2007

title: Chaos and irregularity in karst percolation

authors: Mariethoz, Gregoire

subjects: Australia

abstract: This paper focuses on analyzing chaos in cave percolation water drip rates, which has implications for flow routing in fractured media and on the use of speleothems for paleoclimate reconstructions. It has been shown that the physics of dripping faucets involve a set of non-linear equations leading to chaotic drip rate, meaning that, for a given drip rate, the interval between individual drops can vary greatly. It can be expected that drip waters supplying stalagmites show similar properties, and consequently the dependency between water flux and stalagmite growth rate or geochemistry could be more complicated than usually assumed. We used high-frequency monitoring of two contrasting drips in a cave in Australia, and identified chaos in cave drip rate. Our findings also indicate that the occurrence of chaos can give insights into flow routing in fractured media.

text: Chaos and irregularity in karst percolation This paper focuses on analyzing chaos in cave percolation water drip rates, which has implications for flow routing in fractured media and on the use of speleothems for paleoclimate reconstructions. It has been shown that the physics of dripping faucets involve a set of non-linear equations leading to chaotic drip rate, meaning that, for a given drip rate, the interval between individual drops can vary greatly. It can be expected that drip waters supplying stalagmites show similar properties, and consequently the dependency between water flux and stalagmite growth rate or geochemistry could be more complicated than usually assumed. We used high-frequency monitoring of two contrasting drips in a cave in Australia, and identified chaos in cave drip rate. Our findings also indicate that the occurrence of chaos can give insights into flow routing in fractured media.

year: 2012

title: ‘Let’s Get Wild’: Sensuous Geographies of Kāwhia Kai and Hokitika Wildfoods Festivals in Aōtearoa New Zealand

authors: Modlik, Melanie

subjects: Food Festivals

abstract: Food Festivals allow communities to celebrate local food and drink. This original thesis examines the mutual relationship between food festival organisers, festival attendees and festival spaces. Two unique New Zealand regional food festivals – Kāwhia Kai on the West Coast of the North Island and Wildfoods Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island - are critically examined. The research addresses three questions. First, how do these food festivals construct their locations and vice versa? Second, in what ways do food festivals contribute to place identity? And, third, how do food festival attendees sensually experience the festivals?
The concept of embodiment provides the overarching framework for this research. With academic interests in both tourism and geography, I weave understandings of culinary tourism, festivals, tourist embodied experiences, sensuality, visercality and abjection to address my research questions. I use this theoretical ‘toolbox’ alongside qualitative methodological approaches which enable research participants to express their embodied experiences and emotions. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with festival organisers and food stall holders. Participant ‘sensing’ was carried out in both Kāwhia and Hokitika. In thinking about the social, cultural and ‘felt’ aspects of food, I also use my own body as an instrument of research. Promotional texts were collected and all data analysed using critical discourse analysis.
The empirical material is divided into two themes. The first theme focuses on location and place identity. Concepts of ‘place attachment’ and ‘sense of belonging’ construct food festival regions. The formation of ‘new colonial’ and ‘new Māori’ traditions is another way in which these food festivals created unique place identities. The second theme highlights the embodied experiences and spaces of both food festivals. Bodily senses, place and spaces are created through visceral and abject reactions to food experiences.
Food festivals have the potential to enhance the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of regional communities. The success of food festivals, however, is dependent on multi-sensual embodied experiences.

text: ‘Let’s Get Wild’: Sensuous Geographies of Kāwhia Kai and Hokitika Wildfoods Festivals in Aōtearoa New Zealand Food Festivals allow communities to celebrate local food and drink. This original thesis examines the mutual relationship between food festival organisers, festival attendees and festival spaces. Two unique New Zealand regional food festivals – Kāwhia Kai on the West Coast of the North Island and Wildfoods Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island - are critically examined. The research addresses three questions. First, how do these food festivals construct their locations and vice versa? Second, in what ways do food festivals contribute to place identity? And, third, how do food festival attendees sensually experience the festivals?
The concept of embodiment provides the overarching framework for this research. With academic interests in both tourism and geography, I weave understandings of culinary tourism, festivals, tourist embodied experiences, sensuality, visercality and abjection to address my research questions. I use this theoretical ‘toolbox’ alongside qualitative methodological approaches which enable research participants to express their embodied experiences and emotions. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with festival organisers and food stall holders. Participant ‘sensing’ was carried out in both Kāwhia and Hokitika. In thinking about the social, cultural and ‘felt’ aspects of food, I also use my own body as an instrument of research. Promotional texts were collected and all data analysed using critical discourse analysis.
The empirical material is divided into two themes. The first theme focuses on location and place identity. Concepts of ‘place attachment’ and ‘sense of belonging’ construct food festival regions. The formation of ‘new colonial’ and ‘new Māori’ traditions is another way in which these food festivals created unique place identities. The second theme highlights the embodied experiences and spaces of both food festivals. Bodily senses, place and spaces are created through visceral and abject reactions to food experiences.
Food festivals have the potential to enhance the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of regional communities. The success of food festivals, however, is dependent on multi-sensual embodied experiences.

year: 2015