Rangelands, Drylands & Pastoralism

These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Grassland Law of the People’s Republic of China. The Text consists of 31 Articles divided into 5 Chapters: General Provisions (I); Grassland Ownership and Use Right of Grasslands(II); (III); Grassland Protection and Utilization (III); Reward and Punishment (IV); Supplementary Provisions (V).

This article discusses the enclosure of rangelands and registration of exclusive rights to grazing by individuals or groups of pastoralists. This trend has been increasing greatly over the last twenty years. This occurs because:it is encouraged by governments, planners and multi-lateral donor agencies in an attempt to 'rationalise'the use of rangelands.

This article investigates the encroachment on pastoralist grazing land in Sudan (as a result of the mechanised farming in the Sudan).

Presents papers on inventory of animal feed resources in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Burundi, Madagascar, Botswana, Swaziland and Mozambique, research and development experiences in Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and Zimbabwe; socioeconomic aspects of feed resources; and regional/sub-regional research programmes.

Discusses the potential of leguminous trees to increase crop-livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. Describes major management issues influencing tree introduction and contributions to the system. Gives a detailed account of the management techniques suitable for different agro-ecological zones.

The Lesotho cattle industry is characterized by overstocking, range degradation, low marketed offtake, low fertility, and high mortality. The overstocking situation is paradoxically accompanied by an ownership pattern which leaves many households with an insufficient number of cattle for draught purposes, and the abscence of a large commercial beef sector.

In recent years governments and donor agencies have devoted considerable resources to efforts to improve the management of communal grazing lands.

Discusses the use of forage legumes in the contexts of seasonality of other feeds particularly natural pastures and crop residues, the seasonality in animal movements, the competitiveness for land and labour of forage legumes, and the complementarity of forage legumes with other feeds in smallholder as well as pastoral production systems in sub-Saharan Africa.