Pastoralism under Strain: Natural Resource Depletion and Its Effect on Pastoral Livelihood in Yabello District Borana Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia is one of the most severely affected countries by natural resource depletion which
resulted in a decline in productivity and qualities of pastoral range resources, loss of biodiversity,
and suffering of the people and animals in chronic food and feed shortage respectively. The full
implication of loss and depletion of rangeland resources as well as main causes exposed the
country to the natural resource depletion. The main objective of this study was to investigate
natural resource depletion and its effects on pastoral livelihoods in Yabello District. The data for
this study were collected using surveys; key informant interviews, questionnaires, observation,
and focus group discussions. Dikale, Dhadim and Haraweyu Kebeles were selected purposively
where natural resource and other causal issues to the problem of natural resource depletion is
observed. 177 households were selected for collecting the data. The household number from
each Kebeles was considered based on the Kebeles population proportion. The results of the
investigation showed that the natural resource of the study area is highly depleted and placed
pastoralists under strain. The study areas three decades ago were under good resources
conditions which are changed to a new problematic situation. Increase in human and cattle
population pressure which increases demand on natural resource use and lack of alternative
sources of resource use and land ownership, crop cultivation which is a newly emerging system
in the area are the major causes for natural resource depletion in the area. Moreover, bush
encroachment, lack of commitment at an individual level, and organizations in range resources
management are some of the prevailing causes of rangeland degradation in the district. The
effect of natural resource depletion on rangeland, livestock assets, food security, water resource,
soil, biodiversity, range ecosystem, loss of forest cover and extinction of palatable species which
affects pastoral livelihood was clearly observed in the study area. The research made through
investigation of the causes of natural resource depletion, consequence and effects, perceptions,
and trends, risks, indigenous coping, and controlling mechanism. Pastoralists whose livelihoods
depend on the natural resource with weakened indigenous coping mechanisms are the most
affected ones and alternative ways of improving their resilient capacity need to be sought for the
future survival as a complement of their coping mechanisms. The indigenous coping
mechanisms used by the pastoralists are ineffective during the age of technological advancement.
Pastoralists have managed their natural resources and livelihoods through customary institutions
by practicing different indigenous mechanisms to restrain the effects of resource depletion.
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Keywords
Pastoralism, Natural Resource Depletion, Livelihood, Population Pressure, and Yabello