ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Drought is a recurring threat to the inhabitants of the Cuvelai watershed in Namibia and Angola. This is especially true for rural households whose livelihood depends on subsistence agriculture. This paper presents the results of a qualitative household survey to understand the impact of drought and identify key parameters that determine households’ vulnerability. This paves the ground for a follow-up quantitative assessment. Within the survey, 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted to shed light on (i) local water use patterns, (ii) the impact of drought in rural and urban environments and (iii) coping strategies in drought situations. The results show primary impacts on households’ ability to meet water and food requirements. Impacts of this kind lead to second-order effects on physical and mental health, social life and livelihood maintenance. Furthermore, several coping mechanisms could be identified on the individual-, community-and national level. Based on our results, we outline the general structure of a tool to quantify drought impact-the Household Drought Vulnerability Index.
