Research Update By Bokutache Dida
FAC Pastoralist Theme, November 2010

• In the pastoralist livelihood, the most important change is physical fencing of areas – but reserving a section of rangeland for later use has always been an integral part of the pastoralist innovation land use system
• Today, expansion of crop cultivation near towns and increased livestock marketing is triggering de facto private enclosures (e.g. in Moyale District) – these contribute to fragmentation of a rangeland ecosystem that is very inter-connected
• Pastoralists are responding with community reserves: heaps of hay within enclosures covered for protection from rain and sun; these community ‘fodder banks’ are meant for use in the elongated dry season and drought years