Policy framework for Pastoralism in Africa

1. Introduction1.1 The case for a pan-African Policy Framework for Pastoralism1.1.1 BackgroundPastoralism is a way of life based primarily on raising livestock, particularly small ruminants, cattleand camels. Pastoral livestock production systems are mostly found in Africa’s vast arid and semiaridareas. These areas are characterized by marked rainfall variability, and associated uncertaintiesin the spatial and temporal distribution of water resources and grazing for animals. Pastoralistshave developed management systems based on strategic mobility, which are well-adapted to thesedifficult conditions. Although African pastoral ecosystems are ancestral homeland to a substantialportion of the population for whom pastoralism is a traditional way of life, pastoralism is far fromstatic. Pastoralists in many areas are adapting to trends such as new economic opportunities andbetter access to modern means of communication.The socioeconomic importance of African pastoralism stems from the following facts:i. pastoral areas occupy about 40 percent of Africa’s land mass, albeit with significant variationsbetween countries;ii. livestock or livestock-related activities contribute at least 50 percent of total value of marketedproduction and subsistence production consumed by an average pastoralist household;iii. in general, pastoral areas are less suitable for crop husbandry, and livestock production remainsthe most viable opportunity to harness scarce biomass resources;iv. pastoralists are custodians of key national resources found in arid and semi-arid areas and asa system, pastoralism helps to protect and safeguard these resources.Pastoralist communities generally live in isolated, remote and underdeveloped areas. These areas areoften conflict prone, food insecure and associated with high levels of vulnerability. Service provisionin pastoral areas is usually less-well developed than in other areas, with low health and educationindicators than national-level figures. As in other areas of Africa, population growth is also drivingchanges in pastoral areas and in some cases, increasing levels of vulnerability and destitution.The mandate of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission(AU/DREA) is to initiate and promote policies that can contribute to the development of ruraleconomy and improve livelihoods through increasing agricultural productivity, ensuring foodsecurity, and enhancing sustainable use and management of Africa’s natural resources. Compliantwith this mandate, and cognizant of the challenges and opportunities for Africa’s pastoral areas,AU/DREA has been supporting a series of programs and projects designed to improve the healthand productivity of animal resources in Africa, mainly through its specialised technical office, theInter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (IBAR) based in Nairobi, Kenya.The African Union Commission initiated a pastoral policy initiative in collaboration with theUnited Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs in July 2007, in Isiolo, Kenya, with a view todeveloping a framework to facilitate the development and implementation of pastoral policiesthat could contribute towards securing and protecting the livelihoods and rights of pastoral8 Policy framework for Pastoralism in Africa