The Globalizer

    The Okavango Delta

    I chose this video because I thought it was interesting and that it was informative in showing how valuable a natural source of freshwater is in Africa.  Life cannot exist without the precious resource of water and water that is reliable for survival is hard to come by in Africa.  The video discusses how the Okavango Delta is an extensive source of water for numerous species and humans throughout Botswana and parts of Angola and Namibia.  The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world and covers over 15,000 square kilometers.

     In the video the Minister of the Environment, Wildlife and Tourism for Botswana talks about how each person in Botswana deserves to have quality water for drinking and other uses.  There are issues around preserving the Okavango Delta such as an increasing population, energy demands and agricultural purposes, along with Botswana having to share the source of water with Angola and Namibia.  In the video a lady who works for the Okavango River Basin Permanent Commission talks about the agreement between the three countries and their role in preserving the Okavango Delta. 

    The value of water for the people living near the Okavango Delta is something that cannot receive a price tag.  Those people will always need water, but having that source of water is something that raises the quality of life for them.  Women in Botswana and most other parts of Africa are in charge of gathering water for their families.  Most of the people in the region live near the Okavango Delta, but if the water source was ever ruined in some fashion, then the women would have to travel further away to gather suitable water.  The Minister for Botswana basically sums it up; the Okavango Delta and good water in general is like gold to these people, it is life!