Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture No. 4/06
Rural water pricing systems in Namibia:
effects on water use and livelihoods
Bernadette Bock and Michael Kirk
Philipps University Marburg, Germany
Abstract
This paper investigates impacts of a water pricing programme
introduced in rural Namibia after independence in 1990. The focus is on
effects on resource use efficiency levels and household livelihoods
related directly to the introduction of a water services fee system.
The acceptance levels of the programme in the affected communities, as
reflected through their willingness to pay the water fees, and the
effectiveness of water-related institutions are also assessed. The
investigation was administered within the framework of the BIOTA
Southern Africa initiative on biodiversity change and site selection
and was done in accordance with the BIOTA transect design. A simple
random sampling technique was employed in villages closest to the BIOTA
observatories. The survey found that willingness to pay for water is
low and does not offset the costs involved when the programme is to be
implemented on a total cost recovery basis, as planned by the
responsible government authority.
Keywords: water pricing, livelihoods, community-based management, institutions, Namibia
JEL: Q15, Q25, Q28
Vol. 45 (2006), No. 4: 339-360