The Commodification of Nature and Its Effect on Society and the Environment in Northeast Namibia

The commodification of natural resources is often promoted as a means to improve rural livelihoods. In Namibia, the commodification of forest products (through the community forest regime) is appraised to generate monetary benefits and contribute to the management of forest products. While the economic benefits are true, revealing long-term implications to the complex socio-ecological system remains a challenge hindering development measures. This is particularly so for rural societies which are undergoing a transition from subsistence to cash economy—as the one investigated in this case.

Using data from two rural societies in Okavango West in northeastern Namibia where forest timber and non-timber products are treated as a commodity, this paper investigates how commodification affects the uses and management of nature, and the management of socio-ecological systems. The study reveals that commodification, though it offers monetary benefits, has hidden negative consequences for the studied societies. Findings revealed that it causes social stratification and inequity, which is happening due to power and price disparities; a feeling of alienation of nature, as people feel losing ownership and property rights of the forest through permit systems opposed by the community forest regime; and privatization of natural resources as competition for resources and markets arises. At the core of the issues is poor governance due to the absence of shared traditional practices, laws and shared values, as well as power and equity issues. If not managed, commodification has the potential for a human-nature relationship, as it suppresses shared values, and hinders people from managing their socio-ecological systems upon which depend for livelihood and socio-cultural values.