INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

Humanitarian Aid

BRIEFING NOTE

“Thousands of people are at risk of losing their livelihood due to fast degrading rangelands in Karamoja”- Report warns.

INTRODUCTION

Karamoja is part of the expansive rangelands referred to as the

“cattle corridor” which traverses Uganda from north east to south

west, dominated by natural grassland, bush land and wood lands

and renowned for pastoralism. Karamoja region is also an area of

conservation significance. Rugadya et al. (2010) reveals that 77.2%

of the land area in Karamoja is gazetted under government control

with 11.6% under National Forest reserves, 24.8% under exclusive

mineral exploration licenses and 40.8% under wild life. This statistics

still excludes urban areas. Therefore the land available for the over

1.1million Karamojongs is approximately only 38% of the total

Karamoja land area.

The study report “Pastoralist rangeland management practices and

environmental health in the Karamoja region, 2012”, completed

as part of the ECHO-funded project, “Building resilience against

drought in the Karamoja region through improved water resources

management” reveals critical issues on the status of the rangelands

in Karamoja region that is putting thousands of people at risk of

losing their livelihoods in fast degrading upstream areas of Lokok

catchment and calls for urgent attention from government and key

actors. The main area of study was the Lokok River sub-catchment

that covers four Districts of Napak, Kotido, Kaabong, and Abim in

Karamoja region, North Eastern Uganda.

EVOLVING Rangelands Management Practices in Lokok sub-Catchment

• The study confirms the fact that Karamoja is changing and

adapting in several ways. However one factor that remains

crucial is mobility. It remains the most important strategy of

the rangelands ecological management system in Karamoja,

but several factors are putting this strategy under strain. Efforts

must be placed towards establishing the recognition of mobility

as a strategy in Karamoja and guaranteeing the possibility of

the practice to continue within the confines of the emerging

developments.

• The customary rangelands management system is still relevant

in Karamoja and opportunities already exist for the formal

rangelands management system to learn more and find a linking

point to ensure that the two systems do work in harmony. Policy

makers and other stakeholders should continuously encourage

the involvement of the customary leaders and people with

indigenous knowledge in any programme or policy development

for Karamoja.

• Gender disparities in terms of rangelands management, access

Pastoralist Rangeland Management PracticesAnd Environmental Health in the Karamoja Region

and control are changing. However, the women are still largely

marginalized by their male counterparts. Efforts to continuously

provide viable opportunities to engage women in decisions,

management, access and control of the pastoral rangelands will

ensure that their voices are taken into consideration.

• The concept of protected kraal system could have contributed

more positively in curbing insecurity in the Karamoja area.

However, its negative impacts on the pastoralist rangelands

health and management system was detrimental according to

the findings. Partners should find a constructive way to dialogue

with the security management organs to conduct participatory

review of the protected kraal system. It is recommended that the

security system must recognize the ecological importance of

pastoral mobility and other important aspects of the traditional

pastoral system while providing security for the livestock.

Rangelands Health in Lokok Sub-River Catchment

• The study concludes that 25% of the total rangelands area

of Lokok sub-catchment is facing degradation (with areas

described as highly degraded taking 11.9% (1,601 km2),

Degraded 13.1% (1,768 km2). The data shows that much of

the area falls under the “moderately healthy” rangelands class

(6,999 km2; 52%). However, the moderately healthy areas

were found to be swinging towards degradation as opposed

to improvements. This situation presents a huge challenge to

the region that is already exhibiting serious climatic variations.

23% of the rangelands can still be described as healthy areas

constituting 3, 097 km2.

• The analysis shows that the most degraded districts were

Kotido and Kaabong located in upstream areas of the Lokok

sub catchment.

The study shows that there is a strong relationship between

rangelands health and the number of livestock in a given area

of Lokok sub-catchment. Comparing the rangelands health

map with the National livestock census of 2008, the livestock

populations in upstream areas presented the most degraded

conditions. The areas with notable degraded land areas were

found in Kalapata in Kaabong, Kotido sub-county and Lopei in

Napak district.

• Further analysis of the livestock density and the rangelands

health showed that, the high livestock density per se was not

the problem, but factors that worked against the livestock

mobility such as the underlying problem of insecurity which

contributed to the emergence of ‘protected kraal’ system of

livestock protection in Karamoja.

The Rangelands health indicators established some relationship

between protected areas and the rangelands health condition

in Lokok Catchment. Areas around gazetted wildlife areas and

forest reserves were found to be healthier rangelands.

CONCLUSIONS

•Increasingly,credibleresearch,PanAfrica,RegionalandNational

Policies are recognizing the value of pastoralism as regards to

the sustainable and productive use of the rangelands and that in

fact, the pastoral system does not interfere with the rangelands

ecosystem, but actually that it makes the ecosystem. Soil erosion

was identified as the key unifying factor for various indicators

presented in literature and was used as a basis for Lokok

rangelands health sampling. Soil erosion was also mentioned by all

the communities consulted as an indicator for rangelands health,

showing the utility of indigenous knowledge in rangelands health

mapping. Therefore, soil erosion maybe considered as a primary

indicator of mapping and monitoring of rangeland health. In future,

other indicators such as biomass and species composition should

be explored.

• Increasingagro-pastoralismandsecuritymeasuresbyprotected

kraals influence communal grazing and transhumance systems

that have defined rangelands management practices and grazing

system in Karamoja. The pastoralists keep their activities limited

to areas around protected kraals leading to prevalence in animal

diseases and increased susceptibility to degradation. Innovative

ways are required on balancing security with sustainable

management of rangelands resources. With limited livestock

mobility and a growing sedentary system, the pastoralists

face challenges of access to pasture and water. This requires a

comprehensive land use plan to rationalize the evolving land use

types and practices.

• Environmental characteristics differ according to upstream,

midstream and downstream location in the Lokok sub-catchment.

Up and midstream areas which have steeper topography and higher

livestock density are more susceptible to erosion and show higher

proportions of degraded rangeland patches. It is recommended

that upstream, midstream and downstream catchment zones

are considered in assessment, planning and management of the

Lokok sub-catchment.

• The planning goal derived from the community consultation

was “Healthy environment with good pasture, healthy animals,

enough water, and better conditions in terms of development

infrastructure, sanitation and peace”. This implies a holistic

environmental management approach for the Karamoja region that

caters for security as much as the conventional biophysical and

socio-economic consideration in environmental planning.

• There is a relationship between protected areas and rangeland

health in Lokok sub-catchment. Healthier rangeland areas are

shown in areas that contain gazetted protected areas (wildlife

and forest reserves). There is need to study the linkages between

rangelands health and conservation activities to inform the

relationship between livestock, protected areas and rangeland

management in Lokok sub-catchment.

• Veterinaryservices,agro-climateinformationandadvisoryservices

are critical in the face of increasing diseases around protected

kraals, increasing climate variability and the need to restore

degraded patches of the catchment. Government capacity in

delivering these services is required.

3.4. Recommendations for future interventions

Shortage of pasture during the dry season: Karamoja experiences a

uni-modal rainfall regime which commences from April to November

with peak rainfall during April, May, July and August, while much of

the year remains dry. The rainfall range of 140 to 160 days is known

to be the shortest annual length of the growing period. Sometimes

the rain decreases drastically towards the end of the rainy season,

leading to crop failure and poor pasture that the pastoralists have not

anticipated. The rainfall regime implies abundant pasture resources

during the rainy season. Without attention, however, the dried pasture

usually dissipates through fires and harvesting for other uses, leaving

the dry season pasture deficient.

• Pastoralist mobility is still the most viable option for managing

and accessing pasture and water during the prolonged dry

period. Partners should support land demarcation based on

careful analysis of the available resources on the rangelands to

ensure the mobility corridors are protected between the various

livelihood zones.

• There is need to work with communities to map and

demarcate the communal grazing areas, and also acquire

legal documentation as enshrined in the Land Act (Communal

Certificate of Ownership).

• The demarcation should take into consideration the mobility

corridors that should be mapped and demarcated with visible

mark stones/concrete. The process should be guided through

participatory process. The demarcation will ensure that there

is no encroachment and management of the grazing areas will

be organized under a selected committee or through the clan

system.

Soil Erosion: Soil erosion was identified as a priority problem in

the Lokok sub-catchment. Erosion is caused by a combination of

torrential rains, porous soils that have poor water retention and a

sloping landscape with rock outcrops, hills and mountains and a

generally undulating landscape from north-east to the south, leading

to rampant run-off. Overgrazing, tree cutting for charcoal, fires and

poor cultivation practices also leave the land bare and prone to

erosion. Soil erosion was also reported to be caused by prolonged

dry spells that resulted in the loss of vegetation cover leaving the

land bare. Once eroded, the soils support poor pasture and crops. In

order to control soil erosion the following were recommended:

• Focus on establishing tree planting programs: Tree planting pro-

grams exist in Karamoja but face challenges of prolonged droughts

and porous sandy soils with poor water retention. Therefore, the

tree planting programs should consider drought tolerant species.

This should take advantage of the opportunity like the akiriket and

tree conservation in the shrines.

• Bylaws: considering that tree cutting for fuel has become a well-

known source of income for the population, it should be noted

that the problem is not necessarily tree cutting but the push and

pull factors which revolve around limited livelihood opportunities

and poverty. Therefore, a combination of bylaws and long term

development and livelihood diversification programmes should be

considered.

• Restoration of overgrazed areas around water points, kraals and

“manyattas” should be done through check dams, filling and of

gullies and tree planting on bare ground. “No vegetation cover”

was mentioned as the key indicator of rangelands health and one

of thekeycausesofsoilerosion.Vegetationcoverhasreduced

due to over grazing especially in areas around the kraals and

areas with rampant tree cutting for charcoal burning. To sustain

the restoration process, there is need for the government to pay

particular attention to balancing between security measures and

the requirements of a pastoral production system which is built

around mobility.

Water shortage: Although Karamoja experiences short rains, it is of

high intensity and presents an opportunity for rainwater harvesting.

This opportunity may be exploited through the following:

• Partners must support the process of mapping the available

water points and identify the gaps in relations to the pastoral

system, and in partnership with the districts and the pastoralists

communities, develop a comprehensive plan that will ensure

the balance between the water, grazing needs and other land

uses to avoid possibilities of overgrazing and degradation of the

rangelands around watering points.

• Improve water management practices: Due to prolonged dry

seasons and droughts, there is need to sustainably manage

the water that is collected in the rainy seasons to valley dams,

tanks and ponds as well as water from boreholes and rivers

which are seasonal. Water user groups have been established

inKaramoja as stipulated in theWater Policy (1995) but they

need strengthening by training in water management practices.

They need strengthened partnership with Local Governments to

share their own traditional skills that have worked and enhance

skills and technologies in operating, maintaining and managing

water systems.

• There is need for advocacy to influence budgetary allocation to

the region to provide water points in every parish as stipulated

in the Water Policy. Opportunities exist through the Ministry for

Karamoja that has heightened the position of Karamoja on the

government development agenda.

Bush fires: Bush fires are set during the dry season mainly to

support growth of tender and nutritious pasture once the rains

come. Since the fire scars are left bare, the limited vegetation cover

renders the burnt areas susceptible to erosion through run-off and or

wind erosion. The following recommendations were identified:

• Prepare a fire management plan including bye laws to deter

intentional fires that are not planned and make response

difficult.

• Combine opportunities of the Akiriket (the traditional

administrative leadership mainly comprised of Kraal or

clan leaders and community elders) and the existing formal

institutions of governance to device mechanisms of managing

the bush fire issue.

Invasive species: The common invasive species in Lokok sub-

catchment were Picinus communis (Ebune), Cynodon dactylon

(Toananya), Priva sp., Hoslundia opposita (Etupukwanait) and

Ipomoea sp (Amatwae). They are known to quickly overtake the

This briefing note was prepared and technically facilitated by IUCN-International Union for Conservation of Nature, with financial support from the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) through Action Against Hunger (ACF) and in collaboration with the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM)

palatable species and are poisonous while some cause physical

injury to livestock. The most affected parishes are Lorikitae and

Kulodwong. In Kulodwong, an invasive species called “Motho” was

reportedly difficult to manage. The following recommendations were

identified:

• Partners must initiate a program on eradication of invasive

species including research and monitoring. The program should

employ innovative approaches by use of GIS and remote sensing

for mapping and monitoring pasture at individual species level.

The Karamajong communities have knowledge of the species

and the impacts on the rangelands. Their knowledge should be

part of the research, monitoring and implementation effort.

• Based on the above programme, Partners/Planners should

establish a rangeland tracker – that provides regular update on

the rangelands health and share the information with the various

stakeholders to inform programme development and planning.

Assessment and planning considering upstream, midstream

and downstream catchment zones: Environmental characteristics

differ according to upstream, midstream and downstream location

in the Lokok sub-catchment. Up and midstream areas which

have steeper topography and higher livestock density are more

susceptible to erosion and show higher proportions of degraded

rangeland patches.

• Holistic land use planning: A land use plan for the catchment

is needed which addresses existing and emerging competitive

land uses including grazing, crop cultivation, poultry, piggery

(of indigenous species), tree planting and conservation.

Land use planning in Karamoja should take cognizant of all

the key livelihoods options, while appreciating that pastoral

requirements are given priority as the most viable livelihoods

with clearly demarcated mobility and grazing routes.

Community wildlife conservation opportunities: Rangeland

health mapping showed the healthiest rangelands around protected

areas, suggesting that proximity to protected areas may be important

for rangeland health. The conservation importance of Karamoja as

host to various protected areas including wildlife protected areas

presents an opportunity for up-scaling rangelands management

practices which control erosion and maintain vegetation by regulating

utilization and supporting communities to realize conservation

benefits. The Wildlife laws and policy which provide for benefits to

communities neighboring protected areas including conservation

and tourism benefits must be seen to be put in practice to enhance

the community’s appreciation of wildlife conservation as source

of livelihood and income. The following recommendations were

identified:

• In details, study the linkages between rangelands health and

conservation activities as a basis for integrating the relationship

into the rangeland management system in the area.

• Based on the above study, integrate community conservation

and tourism in rangeland planning and management to support

communities engage in conservation activities and realize

alternative livelihoods.

• There is need to engage Uganda Wildlife Authority to invest

in cooperate social responsibilities for communities living

around the protected areas. For example, some experts link the

continued prevalence of livestock diseases to the game parks

as the breeding place.

• Develop a tracking mechanism to monitor the rate of degradation

especially in the upstream and midstream to inform decisions

and produce regular updates for advocacy purposes.

Policy environment for pastoralists rangelands management in Lokok sub-catchment

• These policy documents highlight two critical messages that,

if taken into account, would significantly reorient rangelands

management and development policies in Africa. The first is

that mobility in pastoral production systems and rangeland

health are ecologically inseparable and inherently sustainable,

particularly in the face of climate change. This implies that

any rangelands management and development policy should

be built around the need to support mobile pastoralism and

increase its viability.

• The second message is that investments for development

interventions should stop concentrating on serving the interests

of external investors and the global market and instead focus

on existing, local production and livelihood systems – thereby

acknowledging pastoralism’s significant comparative advantage

over other economic activities in the rangelands (Saverio &

Hesse, 2010).

• Pan African and Regional policies present Lokok sub-

catchment’s rangelands management practices and rangelands

health with a clear argument that, the interests of primary

users of the rangelands must be taken into due consideration

as regards how they manage and derive their livelihoods in a

sustainable way from the rangelands.

• Partners should work closely with the state to influence the

inclusion of these considerations in the development or review

of Livestock policies/programmes, Environment Management,

Water Management and all development policies or programmes

that regard development in Karamoja.

• The concept of harmonization of policies should be adopted

also when developing Disaster Risk Management programmes

and plans for cross border disaster risks like diseases, drought

and conflict. This approach allows for better coordinated

preparedness and response (Mujuni, 2012).

• Governance and decision making processes: Traditional

governance and customary decision making processes have

shaped the way rangelands are managed in the Lokok sub-

catchment. Hence it is essential to bridge the local structures

with political and government administration in setting and

implementing environmental and rangelands regulations.