Based on new evidence from Darfur, this report presents a scientifc account of the environmental principles of pastoralist livestock mobility, combined with a review of other key infuences on livestock movements throughout the year. Our goal is to provide policy makers and other stakeholders with an objective account of what mobile pastoralists in Darfur can achieve, how they do it, and what they might need to do it better.

Recently dubbed “Africa’s Lion” (in allusion to the discourse around “Asian Tigers”), Ethiopia is celebrated for its steady economic growth, including a growing number of millionaires compared to other African nations. However, as documented in previous research by the Oakland Institute, the Ethiopian government’s “development strategy,” is founded on its policy of leasing millions of hectares (ha) of land to foreign investors.

Niger is a pastoral country. However, despite its crucial economic, social and cultural impact, pastoralism remains a very uncertain activity, and Niger’s successive governments didn’t invest much in it (1% of the national budget in 2009, versus 35% for farming activities). Though from 1993 the Rural Code has produced a number of rules and regulations in order to protect and revitalize pastoralism, it was also often accused of favoring crop farmers over livestock producers. Is that true ?

Formal land titles are rare in pastoral communities around the world. In the past, this presented hardly any problems, since pastoral land was seen as of little use by most outsiders. But with growing competition for areas legal uncertainty is becoming an increasing threat to the livelihoods of pastoralists.

'In Somalia, land issues are particularly complex. Those involved in both policy and practice need to understand this complexity better if durable political solutions are to be identified and property rights for individuals and communities secured. Lee Cassanelli explains the complex nature of land use, as well as the concept of ‘home’ in the Somali context. His paper is food for thought for all those interested in land reform.'
 

Marsabit County is situated in the northern part of Kenya, bordering the Republic of Ethiopia to the north and Lake Turkana to the west. With approximately 66,000 square kilometres of which 4,956 km2 are covered by Lake Turkana, the foremost part of Marsabit County is an extensive plain which lies between 300m and 900m above sea level. It is characterized by a population density averaging 2 persons per km2 and a distribution varying between 1 person up to 22 persons per km2, depending on the scarcity of water as well as the amount of permanent and semi-permanent settlements.

Pastoralism is a livelihood system based on free-grazing animals that is used by communities in marginal areas. The land may be marginal for various reasons, including poor water supply or soil quality, extreme tem - peratures, steep slopes and remote - ness. Pastoralism enables communi - ties to manage their resources in a sustainable, independent and flexible way. It is marked by rights to com - mon resources, customary values and ecosystem services. Some pastoralists combine livstockkeeping with growing crops for food or forage.

Protection of pastoralist land resources has taken on a new urgency in light of the rapidly expanding global and national demand for land and land-based natural resources for large-scale commercial agricultural production, conservation initiatives, and mining. These activities threaten pastoralist land use systems.

The purpose of these Mapping Guidelines is to support development practitioners (individuals and organizations) working in the rangelands and sub-humid grasslands of Ethiopia. Specifically, resource mapping can assist with investigating rangeland management systems, negotiating rangeland management plans, and implementing and monitoring progress in Participatory Rangeland Management (PRM). The Mapping Guidelines will provide rangeland management practitioners with a tool to help establish PRM within community, district, zone and regional rangeland management offices across Ethiopia.

Purpose of the guidelines The purpose of the present Guidelines is threefold: 1. to explain the basic principles of land use planning 2. indicate which land use planning activities could be carried out in Somaliland at different levels, and how 3. provide a number of tools and resources which could be of practical use by land use planners in Somaliland The guidelines are not a manual which has to be followed strictly. Such manuals could be developed at a later stage, particularly for land use planning at village level.

Pastoralists have a unique relationship of mutual dependency with their livestock and their environment; the uniqueness of this relationship distinguishes them from other livestock keepers. They depend highly on the environment where they develop their livelihood, that they make productive through highly adapted animals, but at the same time the quality of this environment depends on how well they take care of it, which in turns depends on complex social regulations and on large-scale mobility. The way they keep their animals forms part of their daily life and of a complex culture.

INDEX 3.0 RECENT EVENTS 4.0 CERTIFYING CUSTOMARY OWNERSHIP FOR PASTORALISTS, UGANDA 5.0 MODEL FOR RECOGNISING COMMUNITY LAND RIGHTS IN KENYA 6.0 PARTICIPATORY MAPPING AS TOOL FOR SECURING RIGHTS 7.0 DEVELOPING A LAND USE MASTER PLAN, KITENGELA 8.0 SECURING WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO LAND, GARBA TULA 9.0 UPDATE ON RANGELAND OBSERVATORY 10.0 PROTECTING COMMON PROPERTY RIGHTS IN INDIA THROUGH COMMUNITY MOBILISATION 11.0 PASTORALISTS AND HUNTER GATHERERS SEEK PROTECTION IN TANZANIA’S NEW CONSTITUTION 12.0 ENDNOTES