Can a desert oasis survive if its source waters remain unprotected and unmanaged?

Nature · Published 30 September 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Okavango Delta sustains over one million people and countless species, yet its vital source waters in Angola and Namibia lack official protection. This partnership between National Geographic and De Beers explores how empowering local communities and securing sustainable livelihoods is essential to preserving this fragile wetland ecosystem.

The Okavango Delta is an enormous alluvial fan in Botswana that supports a robust conservation-based tourism economy. While the Delta itself is protected by the Botswana government, the river systems that feed it are not. The National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project (NGOWP) has spent seven years collecting environmental and socio-economic data to address this, recognizing that the future of the Delta is inextricably linked to the health of the entire basin.

Through the Okavango Eternal initiative, the project aims to support 10,000 livelihoods by 2030. Strategies include educator expeditions to preserve cultural knowledge, vocational training to reduce reliance on seasonal work, and promoting traditional skills like poling the mokoro—a traditional dugout canoe—as a competitive sport. By fostering economic stability in rural areas, the initiative seeks to prevent the migration of local populations to urban centers and protect the land from unsustainable commercial development.

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