Policy framework for Pastoralism in Africa

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The process for reaching a common understanding of pastoralism across Africa involves two mainprocesses. The first is the broad process of dialogue between government and pastoralists, politicalrepresentation of pastoralists, engagement with pastoral leaders and civil society, and forums at differentlevels, from local to regional. Second is the need to support dialogue with contemporary economicanalysis which reveals the true economic value of pastoralism, and assists government to positionpastoralism relative to other land use systems, and other productive livelihoods and sectors.Strategy 1.2 Demonstrating commitment to pastoral policy developmentAfrican leaders, through the AU, have expressed commitment to taking joint responsibility forstrengthening mechanisms for promotion of peace and security, shared values, cooperation/partnershipand development, and institutional strengthening. The commitment of the AU to the eradicationof absolute poverty in Africa including in pastoral communities is also evident from severalinitiatives. These include the New Economic Partnership for African Development and its long-termobjectives, which include eradicating extreme poverty in Africa and placing African countries, bothindividually and collectively, on a path to sustainable growth and development, and halting itsmarginalization in the globalization process.Moreover, as members of the United Nations, African governments are also committed to the attainmentof the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include the eradication of extremepoverty and hunger, achievement of universal primary education, reduction of infant mortality,improvement of maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, achievement ofgender equality and women empowerment, ensuring environmental sustainability, and promotingglobal partnership. These Goals have profound relevance for pastoral communities. The realizationof these goals calls for a policy platform which will form the basis for:i. Continent-wide commitment to the political, social and economic development of pastoralcommunities and pastoral areas;ii. Reinforcing the contribution of the livestock sector to the national, regional and continentaleconomies.Demonstrating real commitment to pastoral policy necessitates changes in attitude towardspastoralism and realizing the need to:i. Abandon biased perceptions that pastoralism is an archaic livestock production system andpastoralist suffering is self-inflicted, because pastoralists choose to pursue obsolete traditionallife style;ii. Recognizing the many positive aspects of pastoralism and integrating them into national andregional socio-economic development strategies – as described in more detail under strategy1.1 above.Stakeholders involved in pastoral policy development process should also devise measuresincluding affirmative action that will:i. Ensure equitable distribution of national resources to all the segments of society includingpastoral communities;ii. Improve budgetary allocation to address marginalization of pastoral communities;iii. Institutionalize participatory monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of suchmeasures.Securing, Protecting and Improving the Lives, Livelihoods and Rights of Pastoralist Communities33
Under point (ii) above, it is important that African governments and regional organizations recognizethat public investment in pastoral areas is augmented in a manner that is at least proportionalto the economic importance of pastoralism. It is to be recalled that Ministers in charge of Agriculture,Land and Livestock have recommended for an allocation of at least 3 per cent of public investmentfor the livestock sector.Conflict mitigation and management is one of the major issues that prompted the AU pastoralpolicy initiative. Adequate conflict mitigation and management implies:i. Proper identification of sources of conflict, such as depletion or scarcity of resources;ii. Immediate response;iii. Recognizing and supporting traditional conflict management mechanisms;iv. Sensitization work on the prevailing national laws and regulations.Strategy 1.3 Integrating pastoral issues into decision-making processesPastoral development touches on a wide range of issues, notably:i. Equitable access to land, water, capital and technology resources;ii. Equitable access to services, especially education, human and animal health, communicationand finance;iii. Increasing the value of livestock and preserving pastoral ecosystems;iv. Market access for pastoral products and services;v. Greater participation of pastoral people in decision making and policy debates;vi. Harnessing the collective power of pastoral people and their organizations.Judicious integration of these issues into national and regional development strategies will be helpfulto bring peace and security to pastoral lands and communities by preventing conflicts relatedto competition over scarce pastoral resources, and by reducing the risk of marginalized and frustratedpastoralists pursuing violent means to acquire resources or political influence. Policy-makingprocesses should promote multidimensional approaches and avoid sector specific paths to policydevelopment; this requires strong coordination within government.The integration of pastoral policy with land policy, natural resource management strategies andpoverty reduction programs would be of particular – but not exclusive – importance in this regard.Strategy 1.4 Acknowledge the legitimacy of indigenous pastoral institutionsPastoralists are facing the challenge of adapting to socio-economic and cultural transformationsresulting from globalization and emerging issues such as population pressure, reduced access torangelands, food price and financial crises, and other trends. This situation imposes the challengeof blending tradition and modernity in pastoral policy development. In this respect, it calls for:i. Recognition by state and local authorities of the important role of traditional pastoral leadershipand structures in governance, including conflict resolution, management of land tenureand mobility, and facilitation of interactions between pastoralists and other interest groupssuch as crop farmers;ii. The need to address age-old rigidities in traditional beliefs and structures, which discriminateagainst women;iii. Build on and thereby improve indigenous rights to pastoral resources of land, pasture and water;34 Policy framework for Pastoralism in Africa
Page 2 and 3: DEPARTMENT OF RURAL ECONOMY AND AGR
Page 4 and 5: 2.4 Social and cultural contexts 18
Page 6 and 7: AbbreviationsAUAUCAU/DREAAU/IBARCAA
Page 8 and 9: traditional pastoral institutions i
Page 10 and 11: people. The key principles of this
Page 12 and 13: devising effective governance frame
Page 14 and 15: 2.2.1 Mediterranean and Saharan zon
Page 16 and 17: equatorial humid forest. Pastoral a
Page 18 and 19: pastoral areas include the use of l
Page 20 and 21: to pasture and water resources are
Page 22 and 23: In Burundi where population pressur
Page 24 and 25: all passed legislation specifically
Page 26 and 27: with resident farmers. These proble
Page 28 and 29: issues, they are meant to bring the
Page 30 and 31: i) Climate changePastoralist produc
Page 32 and 33: policies and legislation, and furth
Page 36 and 37: iv. The need to acknowledge the leg
Page 38 and 39: within and between states, supporte
Page 40 and 41: many African countries have already
Page 42 and 43: Strategy 2.6 Protect African geneti
Page 44 and 45: --enactment of new and revision or
Page 46 and 47: iii. Policy information delivery an
Page 48: 6. ConclusionSustainable pastoral r

Policy framework for Pastoralism in Africa

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