Indigenous Environmental Knowledge of Borana Pastoralists

Abstract

This paper investigated the indigenous environmental knowledge (IEK) of Borana pastoralists in Dhas district of Borana zone in Southern Ethiopia. To select participants for key informant interview and focus group discussion (FGD), snowball sampling was used to pinpoint people who have IEK of Borana pastoralists. Results show that the customary practices of Borana pastoralists that linked to multi-dimensional natural resources management (NRM) include the taxonomy of pastureland and water resources instituted on the season of utility and gazing dimensions, range scouts, herd splitting, cattle mobility, herd diversification, and bush burning. However, currently owing to various factors the IEKs of Borana pastoralists have been facing threatening challenges that question their existence. The study incorporated the capitalization on the customary institutions that advance the IEK and cattle productivity finally improving the livelihoods of the Borana pastoralists. This research intends to help various stakeholders, predominantly pastoralist development office, ecologists and other development partners in a bid to develop Borana pastoralists, to boost their sustainability, and to promote sustainable NRM.