Bush Encroachment in Borana Rangeland in the Case of Southern Ethiopia: Causes, Impacts and Management Implications
Journal Title: International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research - Year 2018, Vol 6, Issue 5
Abstract
Savannah rangelands comprising grasses and woody species, which cover a half of terrestrial land surface providing a major socio-economic importance of a large proportion of the livestock population. The ecological and economic function of Borana rangeland is threatened by bush encroachment i.e., increase of woody species often unpalatable to livestock at expense of the grass layer. Many factors have been remarked to drive bush encroachment in Borana rangeland; the banning of fire, recurrent drought, population pressure and misconception of the effectiveness of traditional resource management systems are among the common. It can also causes a loss of herbaceous vegetation, grass species composition, alter soil moisture and nutrients, microclimatic conditions and suppress grass productivity and become a major threat to the livelihoods of the Borana pastoralists and their ecosystem. The weakening of traditional range and water management strategies such as the mobility and diversification of livestock based upon the spatial and temporal rainfall variability, creating enclosures and frequent droughts identified as the major factors that caused encroachment of woody plants and reduced the amount and quality of pasture. The enforcement of a national ban on bush fires resulted in increased bush encroachment, the reduction in availability of good pasture and demand for the greater private rights as individuals are willing to clear bush from private land but not from communal pasture. The pastoralists perceived that bush clearing, rangelands burning, herd diversification and mobility were recommended as the potential management options to minimize the negative impact of bush encroachment
Authors and Affiliations
brahim Mehdi Yassin
Keywords
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