Protected areas and environmental conservation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: on HEIs, livelihoods and sustainable development
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 15 February 2021
Issue publication date: 28 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to advocate for innovative approaches in terms of the involvement of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the conservation of the environment, which fully considers and includes the developmental needs of indigenous communities while at the same time protecting the environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative study of indigenous communities and protected area (PA) authorities in Okhahlamba-Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this paper explores the potential of the engagement of HEIs in capacitating indigenous communities to unleash their development potential towards reducing poverty and, thus accelerating the implementation of sustainable development goal one (SDG 1).
Findings
The paper shows that the enforcement of stringently protectionist policies in environmental conservation in PAs does very little to address issues of poverty because it leads to the marginalisation of indigenous communities and thereby their exclusion from using resources, which should benefit them. This undermines sustainable development, particularly the attainment of SDGs such as Goal 1, which targets ending poverty in all its forms everywhere.
Originality/value
Using the case of environmental management and governance of a PA in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this paper highlights the fact that the attainment of SDG 1 can start at a micro-level and HEIs have a role to play in terms of collaborating with and understanding the needs of the rural communities so that research and innovation are geared towards meeting such needs. In this way, the paper advances the case of how the HEI-rural community-SDG 1 nexus can be established.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper forms part of a special section “Higher education and the acceleration of the sustainable development goals in Africa”, guest edited by Rudi Pretorius and Melanie Nicolau.
This work is based on the research supported wholly by the National Research Foundation of South Africa, Grant Number: 111751 (Jamaica/ South Africa Research Collaboration on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
Citation
Moyo, I. and Cele, H.M.S. (2021), "Protected areas and environmental conservation in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: on HEIs, livelihoods and sustainable development", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 22 No. 7, pp. 1536-1551. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2020-0157
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited