The perfect drought? Constraints limiting Kalahari agro-pastoral communities from coping and adapting

Rural Kalahari agro-pastoral communities of Southern Africa have been exposed to drought shocks throughout history and have adapted their livelihoods accordingly. Yet, drought continues to disrupt or threaten to disrupt their production systems. With semi arid Botswana as a case study, this paper hence sought to unearth the factors limiting agro-pastoral communities from adequately coping and adapting to drought. Low rainfall, which is also highly variable, coupled with relatively low soil fertility status make subsistence livestock keeping and crop cultivation risky. This marginal agricultural potential of the land is further compounded by other constraints. Some of the major constraints included persistence of droughts, limited diversification options outside agriculture, inadequate and poor quality drinking water (high salinity) for livestock, crop damage by wild animals as well as the current land tenure system which curtails the traditional response of livestock mobility during drought. All these factors may act solely or in combination to render rural communities vulnerable during droughts. It is therefore recommended that effective interventions be tailored to local conditions to enhance resilience among Kalahari’s rural population.Key words: Adaptation, Botswana, coping, drought, variability, vulnerability

Climate variability; enhancing adaptive utilization of browse trees for improved livestock production among agro-pastoralists communities in Southern Zambia

Agro-pastoralists whose sources of livelihood depend on rain-fed agriculture are very vulnerable to ecological disturbance due to increasing climate variability. They are unable to adequately feed their animals in times of extreme weather conditions of floods and droughts thereby causing a disruption in their major source of livelihood. This study analyzed the feeding strategies employed by agro- pastoralists in Southern Zambia and important browse species used in extreme weather conditions, in order to improve their utilization for improved livestock production. The major feeding strategies during droughts include browse utilization, dambo grazing, grazing along streams and supplementary feeding. While during floods, upland grazing and browse grazing were the main strategies. However, most of the agro-pastoralists do not practice pasture management and fodder conservation for their animals. Of the 21 tree browse species identified by the agro-pastoralists, 18 species were found to be important during droughts and 8 during floods. Most of the agro-pastoralists neither knew how to plant these browse species nor how to manage them for better and sustainable use in feeding their animals. Therefore, the agro-pastoralists in the study area need to take up management and feed conservation measures for their animals. Deliberate effort should be made to teach the agro-pastoralists how to plant and manage the important browse species that are suitable in extreme weather conditions. This will enhance productive use of the browse species for improved animal feeding to ensure food security among the pastoralists.Key words: Extreme weather conditions, adaption, browse species, Agro-pastoralists

Natural resources utilization by the Aweer in Boni-lungi and Dodori national reserves, Kenya

A study was conducted to record the utilization of Boni-Lungi and Dodori National Reserves by the Aweer community. Results indicate the procuring of a wide gamut of provisional, regulatory, cultural and supportive services from these reserves by the community ranging from wood forest products utilized in construction to their use in expression of religious beliefs to non-wood products. In addition, 16 wildlife species were found to be utilized as primary source of protein, with eggs (guinea fowls and ostrich), fish and honey were utilized as secondary products, while various fungi and algae were consumed as vegetables. Resource extraction occurred with a seasonal dissimilitude.  This study underscores the need for appreciation of Aweer ethnobiology input on native forest conservation.Keywords: Aweer community, Boni-Lungi and Dodori National Reserves, Indigenous Knowledge, Natural Resources Utilizatio

Indigenous Grasses for Rehabilitating Degraded African Drylands

Drylands provide an important livelihood stream to its inhabitants across the globe through a range of products and ecosystem services. However, these fragile ecosystems are threatened and believed to experience various degrees of land degradation. Estimates of the landmass affected by land degradation in the global drylands range from 10% to 20%, a percentage that is increasing at an annual global rate of 12 million ha of soil lost from desertification and drought. African drylands are especially highly susceptible to severe degradation because of their poor soil structure aggravated by scarce vegetation cover. Causes of degradation in these environments are both natural and anthropogenic in nature. Change in vegetation cover, decline in soil fertility, biodiversity loss and soil erosion demonstrate degradation in African drylands. Grass reseeding using indigenous species is one of the promising sustainable land management strategies to combat degradation in the drylands. Reseeding programmes are aimed at improving vegetation cover and biomass, and they conserve the soil to an extent not possible by grazing and land management alone. Indigenous drought-tolerant grasses notably African foxtail grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), bush rye grass (Enteropogon macrostachyus) and Maasai lovegrass (Eragrostis superba) have produced promising rehabilitation outcomes. Previous studies in African drylands have demonstrated the potential of such indigenous forage grasses in improving both vegetation cover (plant frequency and densities, basal cover) and soil hydrological properties (increased infiltration capacity, reduced runoff and sediment production) as indicators of rehabilitation success. Despite their comparative and widespread success, natural and anthropogenic challenges persist. This makes reseeding programmes a risky and often expensive venture, especially for the resource-poor pastoral communities in African drylands. Despite the risks, grass reseeding using indigenous pastures remains a viable sustainable land management option to combat degradation in African drylands. However, to ensure its continued success in the long term, multifaceted approaches and strategies that will integrate land and water management and seed systems suitable for African drylands need to be developed, strengthened and promoted.Peer reviewe

Seasonal energy extraction patterns by agropastoral herds in semiarid south-eastern Kenya

Primary energy extraction patterns by livestock under agropastoralism and ranching were investigated by the bite count method in semiarid south-eastern Kenya. Sward biomass for optimal energy intake by cattle was derived using intake-digestibility constraint curves and  realised livestock productivity from the systems compared. Cattle and sheep, and goats primarily consumed herbaceous and woody plants,  respectively. Enteropogon macrostachyus and Panicum maximum, E. macrostachyus and Blepharis integrifolia and Combretum exalatum and Duosperma kilimandscharica accounted for 33.5% and 9.9%, 16.6% and 10.3%, and 11.7% and 10.7% of cattle, sheep and goats’ total energy intake, respectively. Cattle optimised energy intake at  370–610gm–2 of sward biomass and 55.5–64.3% organic matter digestibility. Panicum maximum yielded the highest optimal sward  biomass. The energy expenditure of the animals was generally lower under agropastoralism across seasons. During the dry season, more animals (33–50%) lost weight under ranching. Agropastoralism was an efficient system as animals were moved across quality grazing  microenvironments that minimised feeding costs and enhanced energy intake. Therefore, mobile grazing strategies, plant diversity and  complementary trophic interactions stabilise energy extraction  patterns and enhance livestock productivity under agropastoralism.  However, human activities that affect plant diversity and mobility will undermine sustainable livestock production in such environments.African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2009, 26(2): 81–9

Effect of poultry waste and grain sorghum supplements on utilisation of range hay by Small East African Goats

No Abstract Available E. Afr. Agric. For. J Vol.68(2) 2002: 65-7