Résumé
The Ga-Mampa wetland within the Mohlapitsi river catchment, located in the Olifants River basin in South Africa, is used by the local community as part of their livelihoods. It has been recently partly converted to agricultural land with potential threats on its ecological functions, such as the regulation of hydrology of the river. To ensure that this development does not compromise environmental security, a holistic approach is required. In particular, sustainable management of wetland cannot be achieved without active participation of all stakeholders including the local community. Therefore, a stakeholder analysis appears to be a prerequisite for any development or research intervention on wetland management, as emphasised by the Ramsar Convention. A stakeholder analysis was conducted in 2005 in this wetland. Its objectives were to (1) consolidate the understanding of the system, with an identification of key stakeholders, (2) set their perception of the situation, the issues at stake regarding the wetland use and management, the causes of conflicts among them, and (3) identify existing and potential trade-offs between the various uses of the wetlands and its ecological functions. The approach used comprises three different types of interviews, depending on the targeted interviewees: scientists, local community members and stakeholders living outside the valley. The results illustrate the wide range of stakeholders involved in the management of this wetland and the diversity of their perceptions. Local community members mainly consider the wetland as an agricultural resource for their livelihoods while stakeholders from outside focus more on its hydrological importance for the Mohlapitse River and further downstream for the Olifants River. The latter also consider the wetland as an opportunity to develop economically the valley using alternative livelihood activities such as craft industry and tourism. Similarly solutions proposed by the various stakeholders differ according to their perception. Three main trade-offs have been identified: between crop production, livestock grazing and natural vegetation production; between water for on-site food production and income generation and water supply downstream; and between today's livelihoods and future soil fertility. The paper concludes on an analysis of the advantages and limits of the approach used for further application