Poverty, Rangeland Degradation and Livelihoods of Pastoralists in Boorana Rangeland System, Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2021-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Poverty, socioeconomic marginalization, and resource degradation has been unique features of
pastoralists in Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASAL) in general and in Ethiopia in particular. This
dissertation assessed pastoralist understanding of poverty from multiple perspectives, rangeland
degradation based on the Gadaa1
timeline and investigated livelihoods of pastoralist in Boorana
rangeland system. The study argued that understanding pastoralist poverty and livelihoods, and
constructions of pastoralist knowledge on rangeland degradation and its impacts could make crucial
scientific contributions.
The study relied on the Vicious Circle Model (VCM) to understand the relationships between poverty
and rangeland degradation. The study was based on mixed method approaches. Both qualitative and
quantitative methods were used in the data collection and analysis. Large amounts of primary data
were obtained from pastoral community by household questionnaire survey, semi-structured
interviews and focus group discussions. Observation was also another tools used to document the area
in its physical settings. To analyze the data the study adopted Sustainable Livelihood Framework
(SLF), and Alkire and Foster method of multidimensional poverty analysis. Quantitative data were
analyzed by various descriptive statistics and systematic summarizations of survey data. In addition,
the study also employed econometric models like Logit and Multivariate Probit model (MVP) in
quantitative data analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed by descriptions of responses, narrations of
cases and systematic summarizations of qualitative responses.
The results showed that pastoralists perceive poverty as lack of livestock, low health, and lack of
money, education, and jobs. Poverty is caused by climate change and variability, deteriorations of
pasture and water, lack of education, and over utilization of resources. The result showed that,
diversification of income sources, crop cultivation, improvements of pastoral education, destocking,
and returning to forefathers‟ cultural practices could help in surviving poverty. Using Alkire and
Foster method the result showed that 87.3% of Boorana pastoralist households were
multidimensionally poor with 62.1% of intensity of poverty. Multidimensional poverty index (MPI)
for Boorana pastoralist was high (54.2%). Majority of Boorana pastoralist households were deprived
in cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, ownership of durable assets, housing, child school
attendance and years of schooling. Deprivation in education was the largest contributor to MPI
followed by standard of living and health dimension. The result of logit model indicated that
multidimensional poverty was positively associated with household head gender and age, and size of cultivated land. In contrast, it is negatively associated with highest education level of household
member, sanitation, home to center distance and production per hectare of land among others.
The study found that currently the potential of Boorana rangelands has been decreasing over time and
degradation showed increasing trends. The progressive degradation of rangeland resources has
jeopardized rangeland production, livestock productivity and human wellbeing in Boorana rangeland
system. Rangeland degradation has put pastoral livelihoods into risks and increased the vulnerability
of pastoralist. Given high vulnerability of pastoralist, it is elucidated that the main livelihood assets of
pastoralist are under threat. However, pastoralists manage risks by engaging into diverse set of
income generating portfolios. Though pastoralism is still the dominant way of living people are now
engaging in a diverse range and combination of activities to reduce vulnerability. Beside pastoralism
respondents prefers to go for intensive rain-fed farming and non-farm activities, labour works,
diversifications, mobility and hired herder as ways of living. Multivariate probit model result revealed
that the decisions of household to simultaneous choose different livelihood strategies are determined
by various socioeconomic characteristics of households.
The study concluded that given current status quo of widespread poverty, increased rangeland
degradation and pastoral livelihood crisis, sustainable pastoral production would be highly impaired.
However, current research is optimistic that poverty can be reduced and pastoral livelihood would be
improved. To reduce pastoral poverty, improve pastoralist livelihoods, and sustainably manage and
utilize rangeland resources there should be enabling institutional, policy and legal frameworks. Thus,
to reduce pastoral poverty recognitions of environmental, socioeconomic and political dynamics in
pastoral areas and inclusion of pastoralist issues into national and international agendas is very
important. Further, the study also suggested that improvement of pastoralist access to education and
standard of living through improving pastoralist access to electricity, clean water and health facilities
should be priority for policy to reduce multidimensional poverty. In addition, sustainable management
of rangeland resources also requires understanding, recognition and promotion of Boorana pastoralist
knowledge of rangeland ecology, incorporation of indigenous and ecological techniques in rangeland
managements and restorations, and prohibitions of privatization and maintaining of community based
zonation and mapping of traditional land use types. The study also suggested that achieving
sustainable pastoral livelihood requires policy options and interventions that can improve and support
pastoralist ways of life and built on what constitute the dynamics of pastoral livelihoods in arid and
semi-arid environments.
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Keywords
Poverty, Rangeland degradation, Indigenous knowledge, Pastoral livelihood, Multidimensional poverty, Policy implications, Vulnerability context, Boorana, Ethiopia