Academic literature on the topic 'Agro-pastoral activities'

Rural communities in the Sub-Sahara African region have become focal points for climate adaptation especially in the agricultural sector. This is due to their significant involvement in agro-pastoral activities which constitute the lifeblood of most of the economies of this region, with about 85% of the indigenous populations relying on it for their survival. Both long and short term climatic oscillations have succeeded, and will continue to disrupt crop and livestock output thus signaling threats to food security. Although the communities have either consciously or unconsciously made use of some indigenous adaptation strategies, they are judged to be weak at the moment. This requires the designation of context-specific agro-pastoral adaptation frameworks. Using focus group discussions (FGDs) of 6 agro-pastoral groups (10 representatives each) in this region, complemented by content analysis, field surveys and the extensive review of literature on case studies for other SSA communities, we analyze current indigenous adaptation mechanisms in the agro-pastoral sector and attempt to construct an indigenous adaptation framework for rural agro-pastoral communities in Cameroon. Our analysis of data leads us to conclude that current adaptation measures rely mainly on crop diversification and mixed farming. Although these methods are good, the scale of operation and the degree of diversification is still low to climate-proof the agro-pastoral sector. Furthermore, these changes are introduced in the midst of poor farming practices such as slash and burn and related systems. Current indigenous adaptation strategies are weak and are correlated with income levels, level of farmers involvement in organizations, knowledge and perception. We recommend the effective engagement of agro-pastoral stakeholders as key in developing an adaptable framework, based on their knowledge of current adaptation strategies.

Many studies were conducted to identify determinants of adoption of crop base technologies and practices and improved seeds, and while few studies concerned on evaluation of extension services in terms of the clients’ need and interest or adoption of livestock technologies in agro-pastoral and pastoral context. In fact, livestock extension services in general in developing countries are less prioritized and thus livestock based technology services are rarely extended. Common livestock technologies which are promoted to livestock raisers are focused on feed, veterinary services, and improved management practices through the extension services of agricultural/pastoral offices and livestock development units. The case hereunder, is about agro-pastoralists extension services evaluative perception and small ruminant fattening package adoption. Hence, this study investigates agro-pastoralists’ perception on the extension services, small ruminant fattening package and intensity of adoption of small ruminants’ fattening package. The study is undertaken in DugdaDawaWoreda, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The Woreda has agro-pastoral and pastoral production system. The data were collected from 151 randomly selected pastoralists and agro-pastoralists using structured interview schedule. Secondary data were collected from different sources to supplement the data obtained from the survey. In addition to quantitative data qualitative data also gathered. Prior to formal survey an informal survey was also undertaken by using group discussion and interview with key informants. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage mean, standard deviation, Chi-square tests and t-test were employed. The Tobit model was also employed to determine factors influencing intensity of small ruminant fattening package adoption. This study identifies agro-pastoralists and pastoralists are poorly addressed and their need and interests are not considered in any extension programmes. The Tobit model output showed that, agro-pastoralists intensity of adoption of small ruminant fattening package is influenced by: perception on the availability of improved breed, perception on resources based conflicts, current management practices, total livestock holding of HHs and credit use and availability for veterinary purposes. Future extension activities and agencies, promoting fattening package in agro-pastoral and pastoral areas, should focus on targeting agro-pastoralists with low perception on the availability of better breed, information and demonstration on the improved management practices, revision of credit supply criteria, making awareness and demonstration of the significant importance of small ruminants in the agro-pastoral and pastoral income and livelihoods contribution is important.

Agro-pastoralism involves the growing of crops and keeping of livestock as a livelihood strategy practiced by communities in rural areas in Africa and is highly dependent on environmental factors including rainfall, soil and vegetation. Agro-pastoral activities, e.g. livestock grazing and land clearing for crop cultivation, impact on environmental condition. This study evaluated the impacts of agro-pastoral activities on herbaceous plant species diversity and abundance in western Serengeti relative to conservation (protected) areas. A vegetation survey was conducted along the grazing gradients of ten 4 km transects from within village lands to protected areas. A total of 123 herbaceous species belonging to 20 families were identified. Higher herbaceous species diversity and richness were found in protected areas than in communal grazing lands. Similarly, the number of perennial herbaceous species was higher in the former than the latter, while occurrence of annuals was higher in the village areas. This observation indicates poor rangeland condition in village communal grazing lands as compared with protected areas. It is obvious that current agro-pastoral activities have contributed to a reduction in herbaceous species diversity in village lands in western Serengeti. However, the array of pasture species, especially desirable perennial species, still present in communal grazing areas, suggests that rejuvenation of these areas is possible. Resting of grazing land is recommended to reverse the trend towards diversity reduction and ensure future availability of feed resources for grazing animals in village lands.

Palaeoenvironmental data and vegetation histories derived from local datasets are examined in the light of Early Neolithic agro-pastoral activities and resource exploitation in the southeastern Adriatic Sea. Palynological evidence is summarized from three locations within the study area and compared to contemporaneous archaeological evidence. Coastal marine archaeological assemblages in the study area indicate that Early Neolithic inhabitants expended significant energy on terrestrial and marine hunting and gathering, and long distance maritime travel, well after the regional introduction of agro-pastoralism.

The article is an attempt to use the method of landmark and determinants in research on the typology of pastoral and agricultural landscapes in the area of the Beskids range the Western Carpathians. The paper analyzes the structure and form of economic activities in the mid-forest clearing, allowing to define mountain landscapes. The Beskids landscape due to the varied morphology, terrain cover and the Vlachs cultural element is considered to be particularly valuable in terms of landscape. The definition of the natural and cultural aspects of the Beskids landscapes made it possible to separate, in the type of rural landscapes – the pastoral subtype, the pastoral and agricultural landscape called as the agro-shepherd.

The land use and/or land cover changes (LULCC) caused mainly by human beings for their benefits play a pivotal role in a global environment, resulting in significant ecosystem changes. Iriiri, Matany and Rengen sub-counties in Karamoja sub-region of Uganda have undergone rapid LULCC in the past three decades. Nevertheless, the extent to which these changes have occurred have not been quantified. Establishing the extent of LULCC in the study area between 1986 and 2015 formed our objective. Supervised LANDSAT image classification for years 1986, 1996, 2005 and 2015 was done using ENVI 4.7 software. The classification resulted into six land use classes; Bareland, Farmland, Woodland, Grassland, Settlement, and Wetland. The area under each LULCC was subjected to a change detection analysis using Arc-GIS (ESRI, 2009) in ten years strata. The results revealed that settlement in Iriiri expanded significantly (p < 0.05) by 71.3%, while farmland increased by 45%. Woodland and grassland significantly (p < 0.05) declined by 68% and 30% respectively. Bareland increased by 56%, while wetland decreased by 54%. Woodland and grassland significant (p < 0.05) shrunk by 87% in Matany and Rengen sub-counties. Farmland expanded significantly (p < 0.05) by 147% and Woodland shrunk significantly (p < 0.05) by 79% in Rengen sub-county. Generally, farmland and settlement increased while woodland and grassland shrunk due increased human population and farming. Expansion of farming is partially due to increased human settlement to pursue agriculture following advocacy by the government of Uganda. The removal of natural vegetation is expected to negatively impact soil quality by exposing it to agents of erosion. However, the extent of these impacts is unknown. Hence, further studies on LULCC and their impact on soil quality at sub-counties level are crucial in guiding land use policy and sustainable management practices in the area.

The decline of agro-pastoral activities has led to a widespread tree and shrub-encroachment of former semi-natural meso-eutrophic grasslands in many European mountain regions. Temporary night camp areas (TNCA) and mineral mix supplements for targeted cattle were arranged over shrub-encroached areas to restore grassland vegetation within the Val Troncea Natural Park (Italy). From 2011 to 2015, their effects on vegetation structure and pastoral value of forage were assessed along permanent transects. Four years after treatments, both practices were effective in reducing the shrub cover and increasing the cover and average height of the herbaceous layer, but changes were more remarkable within TNCA. Moreover, the arrangement of TNCA decreased the cover of nanophanerophytes and increased the cover of graminoids and high quality species, as well as the overall forage pastoral value. In conclusion, TNCA were the most effective pastoral practice to contrast shrub-encroachment and increase herbage mass and forage quality of sub-alpine grasslands.

The present ‘transhumance versus agro-pastoralism’ debate is here set within the context of a broadly based anthropological approach to pastoralism. Certain constant features of the relationship of pastoralists to their landscape are identifiable, although many aspects of pastoral strategies are variable over time and space and across socio-economic groups. The control of much of the pastoral exploitation of the landscape in antiquity by wealthy estate owners is one important difference from the present day. The resulting observations are applied to the archaeological record of isolated rural sites now widely known from surface survey projects. It is argued that the tendency to assume that pastoralists are archaeologically invisible has meant that these very visible sites have been ignored as possible pastoral bases. The location of a number of these sites suggests that pastoralism was a major element in the activities focused on them in antiquity.

The objective of our study is to establish an assessment of four volcanic hazards in a country threatened by the eruption of the OlDoinyo Lengai volcano. The last major eruption dates back to 2007-2008 but stronger activity in 2019 has revived the memory of volcanic threats to the Maasai and Bantu communities and human activities (agro-pastoral and tourism). The methods chosen have had to be adapted to the scarce and incomplete data. The volcanic hazards and their probability of occurrence were analysed on the basis of data available in the scientific literature and were supplemented by two field missions combining geography and hydro-geomorphology. Our study enabled us to map the hazards of ash fall, lava flows, lahars and avalanches of debris. Each hazard was spatialised by being ascribed an intensity. They are sometimes synchronous with the eruption sometimes they occur several months or years after a volcanic eruption. The results are the first step towards developing a volcanic risk management strategy, especially for the pastoral communities living around Lengai and for the growing tourist activities in this area.

Pastoralism is a culture, livelihoods system, extensive use of rangelands. It is the key production system practiced in the arid and semi-arid dryland areas. Recent estimates indicate that about 120 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists life worldwide, of which 41.7% reside only in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Pastoralists live in areas often described as marginal, remote, conflict prone, food insecure and associated with high levels of vulnerability. Pastoral communities of Ethiopia occupy 61% of the total land mass and 97% of Ethiopian pastoralists found in low land areas of Afar, Somali, Oromiya, and SNNPR. In spite pastoral areas have significance role in national economy, yet very little consideration was given to pastoral development and policy makers often neglect them, focusing on the interests of agriculture and urban people. The constitution of Ethiopia gives pastoral communities the right to free land grazing, fair use of natural resources, have market access and receive fair price, and not displaced from their own lands. However, pastoralists have faced new problems in recent years, including competition for water and pasture; unrepresented in socio-economic and political activities, ethnic based conflicts, poverty, and uneven drought and climate changes. The government of Ethiopia began large scale efforts to develop the pastoral areas and initiated different projects, but pastoral development policies and strategies seem to be state centrally-driven. In Ethiopia the current nature of pastoralism and pastoral communities’ life style is changing. Therefore, government needs to develop policies and strategies which are based on local customs and practical knowledge.

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No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Simone Marques Faria Lopes - 2016.pdf: 3883149 bytes, checksum: 92e37708f034204f2d69f88500561775 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-20<br>Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq<br>We start from the hypothesis that the land use model existent in Paraíso-GO creek and Cerrado/Cadunga-MG stream river basins has been providing significant changes in the water quality of these streams, which receive sediments and nutrients from natural and anthropic factors. In this sense, the general aim of this research is to diagnose the water quality in relation to the model of land use and physical characteristics of the basins. The methods used followed the procedures of the American Public Health Association (APHA), CONAMA legislation nº 357/2005 (surface water) and ordinance of the Ministry of Health 2914/2011 (drinking water). When comparing the geological aspects of the two basins, it was verified that they are differentiated by the presence of the unconsolidated sands in the upper part of the Paraíso creek. Regarding the soils, both are distinguished by the presence of Cambisols in the Paraíso creek, and are similar in relation to the presence of soils with hydromorphic characteristics. Studies of land use between 2005 and 2015 demonstrated the gradual disappearance of the Cerrado biome, mainly in the Cerrado/Cadunga river basin. The watershed region of the Paraíso creek presented greater erosive potential in formation areas of the Vale do Rio do Peixe, as well as the Cerrado/Cadunga stream. Heavy metals contents in those soils identified at different sampling points reveal occasional contamination, mainly related to land use. In general, the sediment results of Cerrado/Cadunga stream showed that the distribution of elements has as main contribution the urban area and the discharge of urban and industrial effluents in the drainage network, and for the soils, agro-pastoral activities. For the Paraíso creek basin, the greatest influence was linked to agricultural activities, especially sugarcane. Out of the heavy metals found in both basins analyzed, what demands greater attention, both in sediments and in soils, is cadmium. Regarding the framing of water bodies, it was verified that the Paraíso creek and the Cerrado/Cadunga stream were included in all the sampling campaigns in classes III and IV of CONAMA Resolution nº 357/2005, since the variables Phosphorus, Cadmium and Cupper showed higher values than those established by the abovementioned Resolution. According to the classification of the water bodies of both basins, they can be used for human supply, after conventional or advanced treatment, to irrigation, amateur fishing, recreation and also animal watering. In this sense, it was concluded that the land use presented in both basins, due to the use of agrochemicals, poses significant risks to water quality, as well as the release of domestic and industrial effluents, since the basins evaluated presented changes in the same parameters evaluated.<br>Partimos da hipótese de que o modelo de uso da terra, presente nas áreas das bacias hidrográficas ribeirão Paraíso-GO e córrego Cerrado/Cadunga-MG, vem proporcionando mudanças significativas na qualidade das águas das mesmas, as quais recebem sedimentos e nutrientes provenientes de fatores naturais e antrópicos. Neste sentido objetivo geral, diagnosticar a qualidade das águas em relação ao modelo de modelo de uso da terra e características físicas das bacias. Os métodos utilizados na pesquisa seguiram os procedimentos da American Public Health Association (APHA), legislação CONAMA nº 357/2005 (água superficial) e portaria do Ministério da Saúde 2914/2011 (água potável). Ao se comparar os aspectos geológicos das duas bacias, verificou-se que as mesmas se diferenciam pela presença das areias inconsolidadas na parte superior do ribeirão Paraíso. Em relação aos solos, ambas distinguem-se pela presença dos Cambissolos no ribeirão Paraíso e se assemelham em relação à presença de solos com características hidromórficas. Os estudos de uso da terra entre 2005 a 2015 demonstraram o desaparecimento gradativo do bioma Cerrado, principalmente na bacia do córrego Cerrado/Cadunga. A região da bacia hidrográfica do ribeirão Paraíso apresentou maior potencial erosivo nas áreas de formação Vale do Rio do Peixe, assim como córrego Cerrado/Cadunga. Os teores de metais pesados nos solos identificados nos diferentes pontos amostrais revelam contaminações pontuais, principalmente ligadas ao uso da terra. No geral, os resultados dos sedimentos do córrego Cerrado/Cadunga mostraram que a distribuição dos elementos tem como principal contribuição a área urbana e o lançamento efluentes domésticos e industriais na rede de drenagem, e para os solos, as atividades agropastoris. Para a bacia do ribeirão Paraíso, a maior influência esteve ligada às atividades agrícolas, com destaque para a cana-de-açúcar. Dos metais pesados encontrados em ambas as bacias analisadas, o que demanda uma maior atenção, tanto nos sedimentos quanto nos solos, é o cádmio. Em relação ao enquadramento dos corpos d’água, constatou-se que o ribeirão Paraíso e o córrego Cerrado/Cadunga se enquadraram em todas as campanhas amostrais nas classes III e IV da Resolução CONAMA nº 357/2005, pois as variáveis Fósforo, Cádmio e Cobre apresentaram valores superiores aos estabelecido pela referida Resolução. Conforme o enquadramento dos corpos hídricos de ambas as bacias, as mesmas podem ser utilizadas para abastecimento humano, após tratamento convencional ou avançado, à irrigação, pesca amadora, à recreação e, ainda, dessedentação de animais. Nesse sentido, concluiu-se que o uso da terra apresentado em ambas as bacias, em razão do uso de agroquímicos, oferecem riscos à qualidade da água, tanto quanto o lançamento de efluentes domésticos e industriais, uma vez que as bacias avaliadas apresentaram alterações nos mesmos parâmetros avaliados.

Agro-pastoralists in the tropical semi-arid dryland areas of sub-Saharan Africa are significantly affected by climate change and variability. The agro-pastoral families are coping with production-related climatic risks through livelihood diversification to ensure food security. Data were collected from a sample of 411 agro-pastoralists across five districts in the semi-arid northern and central regions of Tanzania through survey conducted between November 2017 and July 2018. Secondary data regarding crop yields and livestock populations for eight years from 2009 to 2017 were collected from the National Bureau of Statistics and the respective District offices. Results show that about three-quarters of the agro-pastoralists managed diversified crop and livestock portfolios with two or more crops and animal species. However, simulated crop yields reveal positive correlations. Construction of integrated portfolios that generate good returns at a modest risk can be achieved through strategic choices between high-return high-risk and low-return low-risk crop and livestock activities. Thus, the paper recommends for costly long-term breeding and genotype improvement programs, strategically changing the make-up of the current crop and livestock portfolios which appear to be an affordable and tailored solution for building risk resilience among agro-pastoral communities in the drylands.