The people of the area have faced a lengthy civil war, and must also cope with drought and occasional devastating floods.

There is a small human population in the Banhine Park.

They have been damaging the environment by slash-and-burn cultivation of maize, sorghum, cassava and sugar cane.
With drought, the crops fail and the people revert to hunting and fishing, placing stress on the fauna.

The government is encouraging people to move out of the park by building permanent water sources outside of the reserve and giving incentives to those who move.

The Chibuto District lies in the floodplain of the Changane River near Chibuto city.

In this part of the river basin average rainfall is around 200 millimetres (7.9 in) during the cold and dry season from April to September, and around 570 millimetres (22 in) in the hot and humid season from October to March.

The people are poor, with 50% below the poverty line.

They mainly live through subsistence agriculture, growing a mix of vegetables, banana, maize, and rice.

They also graze cattle and make use of local reeds and grass for fiber products.

The freshwater springs in the wetland are used for irrigation and domestic use.

Land use maps show that between 2001 and 2007 most of the shrubby marshlands in Chibuto have been gradually converted for use in agriculture in both the dry and wet seasons.

The cause may in part be exceptionally dry conditions during this period.

The local farmers also report an unsustainable growth in cattle on the land.

The reed collectors report that reed are being burned to clear the land for farming, which may have serious long-term impact on the environment.

A study undertaken between November 2006 and January 2007 found that the river water did not meet the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality.
This may have been due in part to the effects of the wetlands that feed the river and to the natural occurrence of a river bed rich in ions due to natural geology of the area.

However, contamination with  coliforms (highest around Chibuto town) was clearly due to urban waste.
The people of the area have faced a lengthy civil war, and must also cope with drought and occasional devastating floods.
There is a small human population in the Banhine Park. 
They have been damaging the environment by slash-and-burn cultivation of maize, sorghum, cassava and sugar cane. With drought, the crops fail and the people revert to hunting and fishing, placing stress on the fauna.
The government is encouraging people to move out of the park by building permanent water sources outside of the reserve and giving incentives to those who move.
The Chibuto District lies in the floodplain of the Changane River near Chibuto city.
In this part of the river basin average rainfall is around 200 millimetres (7.9 in) during the cold and dry season from April to September, and around 570 millimetres (22 in) in the hot and humid season from October to March.
The people are poor, with 50% below the poverty line.
They mainly live through subsistence agriculture, growing a mix of vegetables, banana, maize, and rice.
They also graze cattle and make use of local reeds and grass for fiber products. 
The freshwater springs in the wetland are used for irrigation and domestic use.
Land use maps show that between 2001 and 2007 most of the shrubby marshlands in Chibuto have been gradually converted for use in agriculture in both the dry and wet seasons.
The cause may in part be exceptionally dry conditions during this period.
The local farmers also report an unsustainable growth in cattle on the land.
The reed collectors report that reed are being burned to clear the land for farming, which may have serious long-term impact on the environment.
A study undertaken between November 2006 and January 2007 found that the river water did not meet the World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality. This may have been due in part to the effects of the wetlands that feed the river and to the natural occurrence of a river bed rich in ions due to natural geology of the area.
However, contamination with  coliforms (highest around Chibuto town) was clearly due to urban waste.
Changane River