Pastoralist societies in flux: A conceptual framework analysis of herding and land use among the Mukugodo Maasai of Kenya

Abstract

Pastoral livelihoods are evolving rapidly. The emergence of globalized markets and the integration of globalized production in developing countries have forced many pastoralists, along with the rest of the world's consumers, to shift their economic strategies of production to accommodate these evolving markets. The objective of this paper is to illustrate the relationship between globalization and apparent transformations in pastoralist behaviour in recent years. We specifically focus on the links among climate, land use, and herding in rural northern Kenya. To do this, we use a novel conceptual framework that incorporates both traditional interactions between pastoral ecology and resource generation and modern opportunities by linking pastoral families via their pastoral production and other economic activities to the cash economy, modern diets and nutritional status (health), and public and private assistance and programmes (such as food aid).

Classification and characterisation of livestock production systems in northern Tanzania

“…It is also striking that almost 10% of smallholder households were headed by people of Maasai ethnicity. Modern Maasai households may therefore include both pastoral and smallholder farmers, as well as those engaging in a wide range of non-livestock based livelihoods not considered here [ 74 ].…”

Rainfall variability and socio-economic constraints on livestock production in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania

“…This was in agreement with reports by NCAA, where a steady shift from https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-020-04111-0 Research Article cattle towards small ruminant ownership was recorded, from about 8% of the TLUs in the 1960s to 26% in the present decade. This trend indicates an active selection by pastoralists towards sheep and goats, particularly in times when they need income, as it is a reasonable economic but short-term strategy for quick asset building [60]. Moreover, studies on feeding ecology suggest that sheep and goats are better adapted to nutritionally poor vegetation than cattle [61], hence, are likely to survive on a stressed environment.…”

Villagization and access to water resources in the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia: implications for climate change adaptation

“…loss of land rights, exposure to flood risk). If these factors are addressed, villagization could make a greater contribution in increasing the resilience of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities (Hauck & Rubenstein, 2017;Manoli et al, 2014;Mortimore, 2010;Pantuliano & Wekesa, 2008).…”