Indigenous knowledge of Borana pastoralists in natural resource management : a case study from southern Ethiopia
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The Borana pastoralists indigenous knowledge (IK) about range ecology, livestock resources and social organisation has developed highly efficient range management strategies to deal with the high-risk environments of arid lands. However, since the 1970s various development interventions ignoring the importance of the Borana pastoralists IK have undermined pastoral production. This has resulted in weakened indigenous institutions, socio-economic instability and ecological degradation. The case study therefore explores the current applicability of IK-based range management strategies. The research was carried out from October 2000 to July 2002. The study targeted two pastoral scenarios with a different functionality in the traditional system and a difference in external interference. The research methods were structured as an iterative problem solving process, starting with the pastoralists definition of main constraints, evaluating applied strategies by participatory appraisals (PRA) and quantitative assessments, searching for improvements and discussing them at several multi-stakeholder workshops. Strong evidence is provided that the natural-resource-based economy of Borana pastoralists has been disturbed by external interference. The impact of the interventions was more profound and jeopardised important preconditions for the IK-based range management strategies. Reduced herd mobility and variability of stocking densities as well as the weakening of the indigenous institutions eroded the organisational expertise to co-ordinate access to rangelands and water and to enforce decisions accordingly. The study further shows that different socio-economic household characteristics of the Borana pastoralists exerted an influence on the IK-variables, depending on the stages of drought and with reference to the sample location. Borana pastoralists IK was under-utilised and must be revitalised. It fosters networks of co-operation and communication for the utilisation and maintenance of the rangeland resources including risk reduction. As range management strategies in the traditional form seem no longer feasible, a re-organisation of range management based on pastoralists existing IK but taking account of the changed preconditions needs facilitation. A genuine approach supports transparent decision making and appropriate policy development.Verknüpfung zu Publikationen oder weiteren Datensätzen
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Göttingen: http://www.cuvillier-verlag.deCuvillier, 2005