Research, Policy and Practice
Table 5 Frequency (F) of reasons for changes in pasture quality, based on interviews with 28 migratory herders
Reasons for changes in pasture quality | F (n=28) |
|---|---|
Irregular winter snows result in a lack of summer forage | 19 |
Increased temperature and rainfall during the grazing season result in less nutritious forage | 18 |
Restricted access to some traditionally grazed pastures by the local authorities to collect fodder for the increased number of large-bodied livestock is resulting in repeated grazing on the same pasture by higher number of migratory livestock. | 18 |
Increased soil erosion due to glacial melt | 13 |
Increased intensity of livestock grazing compared to before—driven by increase in migratory livestock numbers, with relatively stable local livestock numbers (precipitous decline of sheep/goat and a slight increase in large-bodied livestock) | 9 |
Increased fodder collection by locals to sell | 7 |