Protecting the dwindling 'diamonds of Bobirwa'

BITRI
BITRI

Every summer, in step with the season's rains, the mopane woodlands of eastern Botswana come alive with caterpillars that people have harvested for centuries. But mopane 'worm' numbers have dwindled here in the past decade, as rains come less predictably, and more people lean on this over-harvested insect for food and income. How the Botswana government responds to the population crash of this important livelihood source for its people can have lessons for other southern African countries, as the region becomes hotter and drier, and people’s livelihoods are threatened, writes LEONIE JOUBERT *.

When the summer rains come to the eastern parts of Botswana, people travel into the region from hours away, and head into the mopane woodlands in search of the ‘diamonds of Bobirwa’. The caterpillars of the region’s distinctive emperor butterfly break from their eggs in time with the rains, and explode in a feeding frenzy on the leaves of the mopane trees. That’s when people gather them up by the bucket-load, and take them back home either to use as food for themselves, or to sell at the local market.

For generations, people have dried the caterpillars, and either cooked them into a relish, or ground them down to powder and mixed this into porridge or yoghurt. Some people even travel from as far away as South Africa, coming here when the caterpillars flush to buy the dried insects for use in cattle feed: they mix the powdered mopane ‘worms’ into sorghum meal with a bit of salt to feed to their livestock.

Editor's Comment
Congratulations Anicia Gaothuse!

The contest had 10 beautiful young girls as finalists and unfortunately only one could wear the crown.The judges picked Anicia Gaothuse. To all those who feel their contestant should have won ahead of Anicia for whatever reason, hardly; the judges found Anicia to be the best among the best, so desist from disrespecting our newly crowned queen on social media or anywhere else, for that matter! Each of the 10 beautiful young women had supporters...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up