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Research, Policy and Practice

Table 3 Herder scouts and ecologist's assessments of the Afar rangelands at landscape scale

From: Harnessing pastoralists' indigenous knowledge for rangeland management: three African case studies

Transect name

Landscape classificationa

Soil indicatorb

Season of grazing

cGrazing suitability3 (GS)

dLandscape grazing potential4 (LGP)

Conditione

Trendsf WC

GPg

Degradationh

Diktaa Boora

Raasa

Black

Dry

Camels-high

High for all species

Fair

Stable

Heavy

Kaffiin isoole baaroi But resilient

    

Goats-high

  

WC < 20%

  
    

Cattle-High

     

Dadaamo

Koma

Rocky

Wet

Goats-moderate

Moderate-goats

Poor

Downward invasive sp. expanding

Heavy

Aboroiti baaro j

    

Camels-low

  

WC > 40%

 

This land would require heavy investment

Adoptili

Hududo

White

Wet

Low for all species

High

Very poor

Downward

Zero herbaceous cover

Aboroiti baaro

       

WC 70% Prosopis

 

Requires heavy investment

Intiasso

Daale-Raasa

Black with pebbles

Wet

Camels-low

High

Poor

Downward

Very heavy

Aboroiti barro

    

Goats-low

  

Invasive sp.

 

Requires heavy investment

Hunda halaidi

Dalle-Raasa

Black with pebbles

Wet/dry

High for all sp.

High

Excellent

Stable

Light

Andarhaarra k

  1. aClassified by the iddo scouts.
  2. bClassified by an ecologist and by iddo scouts.
  3. cRated by the iddo scouts.
  4. dIbid.
  5. eJointly rated by ecologist and the iddo scouts on the survey team.
  6. fRated by the addi scouts; woody cover estimated by an ecologist.
  7. gGrazing pressure (GP).
  8. hJoint rating by iddo scouts and an ecologist.
  9. iSlight; the landscape has dry grass cover of 20-30%.
  10. jDegraded of herbaceous layer.
  11. kExcellent condition; the area is a buffer zone between two conflicting groups.
  12. GS, grazing suitability; LGP, landscape grazing potential; WC, woody cover; GP, grazing pressure; VH, very high; H, high. The indigenous words are explained in the text.