Implications of the breakdown in the indigenous knowledge system for rangeland management and policy: A case study from the Eastern Cape in South Africa

Communal rangelands in South Africa are generally perceived as overgrazed owing to complexities in their histories and collective utilisation which often leads to improper management. A suitable solution has not been found in land management policies because local people’s contexts and their indigenous knowledge are ignored. Hence, this paper is aimed at (i) assessing the role indigenous knowledge can play in communal rangeland management, (ii) exploring working solutions to incorporate indigenous knowledge into effective communal rangeland management and land use policies, (iii) assessing mechanisms for generational transfer of indigenous knowledge. Findings from the Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) and Focus Group Discussion, conducted with Cata and Guquka villages in the Eastern Cape province were synthesised. This revealed that communal farmers have in-depth knowledge of their communal land, past and present rangeland management strategies and changes in rangeland condition. However, there is breakdown in the indigenous knowledge system whereby this knowledge is not being transferred and translated into good rangeland management practice, owing to the ageing population of communal farmers, limited youth involvement in livestock farming and limited access to extension services. This suggests a need for new policy approaches that would include participation of local people in policy planning and development

African rangelands and pastoralism in a changing continent: Perspectives and opportunities

Eighty-five years ago, Africa was described as a land of promise because it provided an immense opportunity for maximum return in the minimum time (Olaniyan 2000). It was treated this way because it was considered more for its deposits of natural wealth and less for its potential for settlement or as a destination market for goods and services produced in Europe and elsewhere (Le Clair 1937). For over 50 years, this narrative held ground but in the last 20 years, perception has shifted with Africa becoming a destination market and a growth opportunity creator, whilst holding ground as a resource provider (Sy 2016)

Nutritional quality of Calobota sericea fodders. A preliminary assessment

This study aimed to provide preliminary information regarding the nutritional quality of Calobota sericea, a preferred perennial legume forage species from the water-limited rangelands of South Africa. Calobota sericea plant samples were collected from the Namaqualand rangelands in the wet and dry season and analysed for secondary compounds, fibre, protein and mineral nutrient content. The results from the fibre analyses were used to determine the digestibility and energy content of fodders. Preliminary results indicate that C. sericea fodders are of better nutritional quality in the wet season and that protein content, digestibility and energy content is sufficient for maintenance of lambs and dry ewes. The energy content, however, was not sufficient for maintenance of pregnant and lactating ewes. Furthermore, certain mineral nutrients (Na, P and K) were not found in sufficient concentrations in this species, and it was thus suggested that further investigation is needed into whether fertilisation could potentially improve the protein, digestibility and mineral nutrient content of C. sericea fodders

A global meta-analysis of woody plant responses to elevated CO2: implications on biomass, growth, leaf N content, photosynthesis and water relations

Abstract Background Atmospheric CO2 may double by the year 2100, thereby altering plant growth, photosynthesis, leaf nutrient contents and water relations. Specifically, atmospheric CO2 is currently 50% higher than pre-industrial levels and is projected to rise as high as 936 μmol mol−1 under worst-case scenario in 2100. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of elevated CO2 on woody plant growth, production, photosynthetic characteristics, leaf N and water relations. Methods A meta-analysis of 611 observations from 100 peer-reviewed articles published from 1985 to 2021 was conducted. We selected articles in which elevated CO2 and ambient CO2 range from 600–1000 and 300–400 μmol mol−1, respectively. Elevated CO2 was categorized into  700 μmol mol−1 concentrations. Results Total biomass increased similarly across the three elevated CO2 concentrations, with leguminous trees (LTs) investing more biomass to shoot, whereas non-leguminous trees (NLTs) invested to root production. Leaf area index, shoot height, and light-saturated photosynthesis (Amax) were unresponsive at  700 μmol mol−1. However, shoot biomass and Amax acclimatized as the duration of woody plants exposure to elevated CO2 increased. Maximum rate of photosynthetic Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax) and apparent maximum rate of photosynthetic electron transport (Jmax) were downregulated. Elevated CO2 reduced stomatal conductance (gs) by 32% on average and increased water use efficiency by 34, 43 and 63% for  700 μmol mol−1, respectively. Leaf N content decreased two times more in NLTs than LTs growing at elevated CO2 than ambient CO2. Conclusions Our results suggest that woody plants will benefit from elevated CO2 through increased photosynthetic rate, productivity and improved water status, but the responses will vary by woody plant traits and length of exposure to elevated CO2

How could herd mobility be used to manage resources and livestock grazing in semi-arid rangeland commons?

Pastoralists in Namaqualand, South Africa, use herd mobility to manage livestock and rangeland resources. However, their socioeconomic conditions and ecological landscapes are changing and we explore the options that are available for pastoralists to respond to these changes. This paper presents five possible scenarios for managing livestock in rangeland commons in semi-arid Namaqualand and outlines some of the major advantages and disadvantages associated with each scenario. Scenarios in response to drivers of change include (1) maintaining the status quo with an assumption that current mobility practices are adapted to local environments, (2) integrating new lands into the existing commons for use by mobile pastoralists, (3) using existing lands under existing mobile pastoralism conditions but introducing grazing reserves for use in times of drought, (4) amalgamating herds into larger units under the care of skilled herders, and (5) developing commercial-scale farms for single-occupancy owners because government might be pressured to further promote black commercial farmers to deracialise the commercial farming sector in South Africa. We consider these scenarios as starting points for discussions on future management options that pastoralists in Namaqualand may wish to consider as the managers of rangeland commons.Keywords: grazing management, herd mobility, Namaqualand, semi-aridAfrican Journal of Range & Forage Science 2013, 30(1&2): 85–8

Changes in pastoral mobility in a semi-arid montane region of South Africa: The role of policy and legislation

Legislation and policy are key tools used by governments to change the socio-economic and political landscape of agrarian systems with consequences for mobile pastoralism. This study used the social-ecological systems framework to examine how pastoral mobility in the semi-arid, montane communal rangeland in South Africa adapted to the changing socio-political landscape. It analysed the impact of apartheid and democratic era legislation and policies over the past 70 years. Apartheid legislation promoted betterment planning and the privatisation of communal lands by awarding access to most of the grazing areas to a few wealthier pastoralists.This led to increased stocking densities and further restriction of herd mobility when the majority of herds were restricted to fewer grazing camps. Democratic era land reform policies continue to advocate for the modernisation and sedentarisation of pastoral practices. The persistence of mobility among livestock keepers despite discriminatory policy interventions suggests that this is a particularly resilient and necessary element of their practices. We argue that agricultural legislation and policies regarding livestock farming should promote landscape connectivity to allow mobile pastoralists to access variable resources. Connected landscapes should be viewed as alternative ways to modernising pastoralism and these should prevent elite capture when the land is subdivided. Keywords: communal rangelands, landscape connectivity, pastoralist strategies, social-ecological systems framewor

Nutritional quality of Calobota sericea fodders: A preliminary assessment

This study aimed to provide preliminary information regarding the nutritional quality of Calobota sericea, a preferred perennial legume forage species from the water-limited rangelands of South Africa. Calobota sericea plant samples were collected from the Namaqualand rangelands in the wet and dry season and analysed for secondary compounds, fibre, protein and mineral nutrient content. The results from the fibre analyses were used to determine the digestibility and energy content of fodders. Preliminary results indicate that C. sericea fodders are of better nutritional quality in the wet season and that protein content, digestibility and energy content is sufficient for maintenance of lambs and dry ewes. The energy content, however, was not sufficient for maintenance of pregnant and lactating ewes. Furthermore, certain mineral nutrients (Na, P and K) were not found in sufficient concentrations in this species, and it was thus suggested that further investigation is needed into whether fertilisation could potentially improve the protein, digestibility and mineral nutrient content of C. sericea fodders

Inselbergs persist as islands of diversity in a heavily grazed rangeland mosaic at the nexus of three arid biomes

Inselbergs are regarded as ‘islands of diversity’ due to the high number of plant species present and level of endemism. They also act as natural sources of fodder for livestock and thus risk becoming homogenised in a heavily grazed rangeland. The aim of this study was to compare plant diversity on inselbergs and matrices inheavily grazed sections of three arid biomes of South Africa’s west. The inselbergs are scattered in a matrix of rangeland vegetation in the Desert, Nama-Karoo and Succulent Karoo biomes where pastoral herding is the main land use. Plant composition, cover and growth forms were quantified in plots and along transects in 21 inselberg and matrix sites. Inselbergs had more diverse plant and growth forms and greater cover than adjacent matrices. Defoliated plants on inselbergs are able to recover due to more mesic conditions and because inselbergs are largely grazed during drier periods, species are able to flower and set seed during winter. Inselbergs are also less accessible to livestock due to their unique geomorphology. Therefore, inselbergs are able to persist as islands of diversity and warrant inclusion into conservation and rangeland farming management plans since climate change will result in biome boundary shifts.Keywords: arid biomes, communal rangelands, inselberg

Implications of the breakdown in the indigenous knowledge system for rangeland management and policy: a case study from the Eastern Cape in South Africa

Communal rangelands in South Africa are generally perceived as overgrazed owing to complexities in their histories and collective utilisation which often leads to improper management. A suitable solution has not been found in land management policies because local people’s contexts and their indigenous knowledge are ignored. Hence, this paper is aimed at (i) assessing the role indigenous knowledge can play in communal rangeland management, (ii) exploring working solutions to incorporate indigenous knowledge into effective communal rangeland management and land use policies, (iii) assessing mechanisms for generational transfer of indigenous knowledge. Findings from the Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) and Focus Group Discussion, conducted with Cata and Guquka villages in the Eastern Cape province were synthesised. This revealed that communal farmers have in-depth knowledge of their communal land, past and present rangeland management strategies and changes in rangeland condition. However, there is breakdown in the indigenous knowledge system whereby this knowledge is not being transferred and translated into good rangeland management practice, owing to the ageing population of communal farmers, limited youth involvement in livestock farming and limited access to extension services. This suggests a need for new policy approaches that would include participation of local people in policy planning and development.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Policy Analysi

The composition of the soil seedbank and its role in ecosystem dynamics and rehabilitation potential in the arid Tankwa Karoo Region, South Africa

Very few soil seedbank studies have been conducted in South Africa, especially in arid rangelands. Insight into the soil seedbank could therefore improve assessment of rangeland dynamics and enhance rehabilitation efforts. This study aimed to characterise the soil seedbanks in various vegetation types of the Tankwa Karoo National Park, an arid environment in South Africa. At 43 sites soil was sampled twice at the end of spring and the end of autumn, and the composition and structure of aboveground vegetation were described at the peak growth period in spring. Seeds were isolated from the soil samples by means of flotation in a salt solution, seedbank species composition was obtained by seedling germination, and the vegetation was investigated using a line-point survey method. Overall seed density was 8 034 seeds m−2 of which 55% was viable, and the common life-forms were therophytes and chamaephytes. Species richness and diversity were lower in the seedbank compared with those of the vegetation, and the two vegetation spheres were 25% similar. While seedbank composition suggested poor veld condition, there was enough seed density and viability for future regeneration and rehabilitation initiatives. However, this may be impeded by the absence of many perennial species in the soil seedbank.Keywords: arid environment, interpatches, life-form spectra, patches, rangeland condition, species composition, Succulent Karo