Description

Abstract: Pastoral diversification is defined as the pursuit of any non-pastoral income-earning activity. This includes various forms of trade, wage employment, farming, and gathering and selling wild products. Results from PARIMA field surveys and broader literature reviews concerning pastoral diversification are discussed. There are many reasons why pastoralists diversify, and much local variation in rationale and activities should be anticipated. Wealthier herders may seek diversification to promote economic growth, while the poor may seek diversification to survive. Wealthier herders have the option to pursue things like lucrative trading professions, while the poor are relegated to marginal activities such as fuel wood sales or charcoal production. Diversification options vary according to gender and proximity to towns and settlements. In General, options for women (petty trade) differ from those available for men (wage employment, livestock trade). Salaried employment may be most vital for promotion of food security. Herders residing less than 40 kilometers from towns typically have more alternative incomegenerating options than those living further away. Diversification is not always the panacea that it is assumed to be. Some forms of diversification may increase risk. Interventions should prioritize promotion of customary resource use strategies (promoting mobility and livestock species diversity) where possible. Medium-term investments should focus on rural education since education is most likely to lead to options for salaried employment. For the settled poor, activities such as dairy trade, sustainable fuel production (forestry), and re-stocking schemes may have the most value.