The Limpopo river basin plays a critical role in facilitating the economic development of the riparian countries, as well enhancing intra-regional trade. The basin provides some of the most well-developed road and rail transport networks in the SADC region. However, it is worth noting that the basin’s road and rail networks are in different conditions, with the road network linking Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe being generally good and tarred all round. In Mozambique, severe floods in 2000 and a prolonged civil war damaged much of the road network.

The sustainable economic development of the basin centres around the concept of integrated water resources management and development. There is need to consider both the capacity of the land and the availability of water when designing any activity.

In all the riparian countries, shortage of land, another important economic resource, is apparent, and this calls for a well-planned land redistribution process. Apparent features of land shortage are conflicts over the resource, as well as cultivation of marginal lands such as hill-tops and stream banks.