Restocking Refugee Pastoralists in the Horn of Africa

Unruh, Jon D.

doi:10.1111/j.1467-7717.1993.tb00504.x

Cited by 12 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(48 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The overall result has been disruption of traditional nomadic migrations, disenfranchisement from traditional land and water rights, land degradation, and conflict (af Ornas, 1990;Hutchinson, 1991;Homer-Dixonet al, 1993;Unruh, 1993aUnruh, , b, 1995bUnruh, , 2001. In aggregate this has led to an increase in the fluidity of alliance-making, with agreements regarding access to land resources becoming increasingly confused, transitory, and less meaningful, particularly given the widespread availability of modern light weapons (Clark, 1993;Unruh, 1995a).…”

Section: Somali Regionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Traditional seasonal grazing patterns in Somali Region of Ethiopia have become increasingly constrained with an increase in the number of water points, the spread of grazing enclosures operated by sedentary Somali, an increase in the number of fixed settlements, crop cultivation in areas previously reserved for dry season grazing, and insecurity and the resulting refugee flows from Somalia (Unruh, 1991(Unruh, , 1993a(Unruh, , b, 1995bGadamu, 1994;Sugule and Walker, 1998). As well, outside economic forces have encouraged a shift in modes of pastoralism, from drought resistant camels to drought vulnerable cattle, placing many pastoralists in an increasingly vulnerable food security situation (Gadamu, 1994;FEWS, 1997).…”

Section: Somali Regionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Changing conflict resolution institutions in the Ethiopian pastoral commons: the role of armed confrontation in rule-making

Unruh

2005

GeoJournal

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Pastoralist access and use of common grazing resources in the Horn of Africa increasingly include armed confrontation over diminishing resources and reduced access. This comes about as traditional customary institutions (sets of rules) for commons management become compromised due to the presence of outside influences and actors which significantly change both resource availability, and conceptions about who is subject to traditional rules governing commons -particularly rules associated with exclusion. At the same time a combination of local knowledge regarding what happens to open access commons (degradation), a reluctance to give up control of commons and associated ways of life, and armed conflict as a viable alternative for exclusion rules, provide for combative situations and large costs. While a great deal of valuable work has been accomplished regarding the derivation of effective institutions to better manage commons, situations of armed conflict can seem particularly distant from effective rule-making, because few institutions can endure the stresses of armed conflict. Recent developments in Ethiopia however suggest an unexpected proximity between armed confrontation and the prospect for commons management rule-making. With examples from the Afar, Somali and Karamojong Cluster pastoralists, this paper examines the ingredients for rule-making in combative commons situations. Specific coincident forms of state recognition, donor flexibility, perceptions of the cost of conflict, and the local to international reaction to these, are examined for their utility and limitations in the provision of a facilitating context for institution derivation for commons management.

show abstract

Section: Somali Regionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Somali Regionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Changing conflict resolution institutions in the Ethiopian pastoral commons: the role of armed confrontation in rule-making

Unruh

2005

GeoJournal

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Compared to mobile peers, settled pastoralists can have nutritionally inferior, carbohydrate-based diets that are low in animal source food content. In view of such dilemmas, agencies have long sought to engage refugees in restocking or small-scale farming programs so they may eventually re-enter the traditional pastoral sector; such efforts have had varied success (Unruh 2007). Not all aspects of sedentarization are negative, however.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Collective Action, Innovation, and Wealth Generation Among Settled Pastoral Women in Northern Kenya

Coppock

Desta²

2013

Rangeland Ecology & Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Collective action occurs when people join together to tackle problems of common interest. Collective action can be an effective means of group problem solving, especially among poorer residents of densely populated urban areas or farming systems. Few examples have been documented, however, for the lightly populated rangelands, where pastoralists are better known for their social independence and opportunistic behavior. We were therefore surprised to encounter dynamic women's collective-action groups in small settlements throughout north-central Kenya, a pastoral region characterized by high rates of poverty, few public services, recurrent drought, and ethnic conflict. We wanted to understand why groups were created and how they functioned. We used a semistructured questionnaire to interview representatives from 16 groups in February 2006. Results indicated that most groups had formed since the 1990s. They emerged either spontaneously or after encouragement from local developmentagency staff. Founding members were exclusively women who were often illiterate and poor. Groups have elected leaders and are governed under constitutional frameworks with extensive bylaws. Groups form to improve living standards for members, and numerous success stories were noted. Groups undertake activities including microfinance, livelihood diversification, and mitigation of drought effects; they also spearhead and fund community education and health initiatives. A tally of 63 groups created over the previous 25 yr indicated that 2 had collapsed, 47 were thriving, and 14 were failing. Group failure was most attributed to poor leadership and negative interpersonal dynamics among members, but important external threats included drought, poverty, political incitement, illiteracy, and agitation by men. In a region beset by large challenges it is notable that such grassroots innovation can help fortify social, human, and financial capital and this, in turn, can improve risk management and human well-being. Collective action should be recognized as a vital development process in Kenya's rangelands that deserves more policy-level attention.

show abstract

Pastoralist Resource Use and Access in Somalia: A Changing Context of Development, Environmental Stress and Conflict

Unruh¹

1995

Disaster and Development in the Horn of Africa

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Unruh JD (1995) Pastoralist resource use and access in Somalia: a changing context of development, environmental stress, and conflict. In: Sorenson J (ed.) Disaster and Development on the Horn of Africa. Macmillan, London Pastoral Systems Most nomads keep a mix of livestock species2 to maximize benefits and minimize risks. This takes advantage of variations among species with respect to drought tolerance and the utilization of different types of vegetation, and supplies nomads with milk, meat, transport, investment, and income (Samatar 1989a:6). Camels comprise approximately half of the biomass of most transhumant herds for all regions. The other half varies from north to south, mainly sheep and goats in the north and center, and cattle in the south. The proportion of drought resistant stock (camels and goats) traditionally increased in response to drier climatic conditions (Samatar 1989a:28). Mobility and flexibility are required to make good use of meager range resources, thus units of production are small and widely dispersed (Samatar 1989b:28). The logic of the pastoral economy is to minimize risk in order to secure preservation of the family (Samatar 1989a:6; Samatar 1989b:28). As an adaptation to ecosystems in which forage and water are critical parameters, transhumant herding largely depends on dry season forage within reach of dry season watering points (Scudder 1989:6; Johnson 1969:5; Breman et al 1979:227). When forage is depleted or access to it and adjoining water supplies are interrupted, the result can be land degradation, livestock die-offs, conflict, and rapid sales as pastoralists seek to realign resource access arrangements, utilize already marginal land, and cope with reductions in herd viability. Nomadic cooperation, bound by lineage and alliance, traditionally related primarily to confrontation and hostility under ecological conditions in the acute competition for scarce resources (Lewis 1961:240). Dependence by several lineage-segments on common pasture and water creates tension, especially in the dry season, when pressure on land resources is greater and disputes increase (Lewis 1961:243). The lineage system and personal relationships between pastoralists facilitates a degree of insurance against stock loss by the possibility of borrowing animals from fellow stock-owners with a shared lineage or with whom exchange relationships exist. This occurs through the exercise of rights and obligations involved in such relationships, and carries with it an assurance of reciprocity (Poulsen 1990:146; Samatar 1989a:40; Ornas 1990:119). Membership in such groups, especially lineage groups, implies obligation to assist and be assisted in times of crisis (Ornas 1990:119). In Somalia six major clan-families and their subgroups (clans) retain access to most land (Figure 1) (Samatar 1993:72; Cassanelli 1982:16). Clan territories are not distinct. Instead they constitute general areas and home wells associated with particular groups (Gunn 1990:114). Land traditionally is not alienated from the clan. If a past...

show abstract

Restocking Refugee Pastoralists in the Horn of Africa

Cited by 12 publications

References 28 publications

Changing conflict resolution institutions in the Ethiopian pastoral commons: the role of armed confrontation in rule-making

Changing conflict resolution institutions in the Ethiopian pastoral commons: the role of armed confrontation in rule-making

Collective Action, Innovation, and Wealth Generation Among Settled Pastoral Women in Northern Kenya

Pastoralist Resource Use and Access in Somalia: A Changing Context of Development, Environmental Stress and Conflict

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About