ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT PASTORALISM UNDER STRAIN: NATURAL RESOURCE DEPLETION AND ITS EFFECT ON PASTORAL LIVELIHOOD IN YABELLO DISTRICT BORANA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA. A THESIS SUBMITTED TO ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES (SPECIALISATION IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT) BY: SARA ARERO SASURE ID NUMBER: GSR/7441/11 ADVISOR: ALI HASSEN (Ph.D.) JUNE 2020 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CENTER FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (CRD) TITLE PASTORALISM UNDER STRAIN: NATURAL RESOURCE DEPLETION AND ITS EFFECT ON PASTORAL LIVELIHOODS IN YABELLO DISTRICT, BORANA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA By SARA ARERO SASURE JUNE 2020 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA Addis Ababa University College of Development Studies Center for Rural Development (CRD) This is to certify that the thesis prepared by Sara Arero Sasure, entitled; ―Pastoralism under strain: natural resource depletion and its effect on pastoral livelihoods in Yabello district, Boorana zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.‖ And submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Rural Livelihood and Development complies with the regulation of the university and meets the accepted standard with respect to originality and quality. Submitted by: Sara Arero Signature ________ Date __________ Approved by the Board of examiners: Signature Date Dr. Ali Hassen __________ ______ ________________ ADVISOR Dr. Abate Mekuriaw ___________ ____ _______________ INTERNAL EXAMINER Dr. Terefe Degefa _____________ ___ _______________ EXTERAL EXAMINER Declaration I, hereby the undersigned, declare that the submitted thesis is my original work and has not been presented earlier for a degree in any other university and that all sources of materials used for the thesis have been duly acknowledged. Declared by: Confirmed by: ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Candidate Advisor Enrolment No: ID GSR/7441/11 Address: Tel: +251 911 977003 E-mail: [email protected] Addis Ababa, Ethiopia June 2020 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest heartfelt thanks to my LORD JESUS CHRIST for providing me with a good opportunity of joining this program and for enabling me to conduct this research duly. I convey my deepest thanks to my advisor Ali Hassen (Ph.D.) for giving me constructive pieces of advice and guidance starting from the inception of proposal writing to the completion of the research work. I thank him for his genuine and unfailing encouragement, suggestion, insight, guidance, and professional expertise to complete this work. I am also thankful to the center and all Management, Scientific and Administrative staff for their immeasurable help throughout my stay in the center. My lovely and hardworking wife, Hantuto Galma Galgalo for her unreserved support and tolerance during my education and thesis work too, and I thank her contribution towards the realization of this study. I thank all my family members for their love, patience, understanding, and moral support and encouragement. I thank my elder daughter, Bochola Sara for her support in organizing and summarizing the research questionnaires and consistent moral support. I sincerely thank the following families and individuals for offering me assistance to make this study successful: Dr. Galgalo Arero and his family and Dr. Golo Dabasa and his family, for their hospitality in my stay at Yabello town in the research area. Guyo Wario Godana, Vice President of Oromia Supreme Court for his all-round support and offer me with his VIP vehicle, Ato Jatani Galo Walabu (Dikale PA administrator), Ato Galma Golicha (Haraweyu PA administrator) and Ato Dhera Godana (Dhadim PA administrator) and Ato Dabaso Simphire Dima (More resourceful person). My thanks also go to all focus group discussions participants, all respondent households, key informant interview participants at district level from three kebeles and Government office, Borana Zone Administrator (Ato Guyo Galgalo), Yabello Woreda Administration Office (Dida Dabasa), Yabello Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resource Development Office, and IGAD Oromia Project, Care Borana Project, Borana Natural Resource Management Pastoralist Food Security-Enhanced Project (NRM-Borana project), Gayo Pastoral Development Initiative (GPDI) and HEKS/EPER Borana field office. i Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii Lists of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vi Lists of Figures ............................................................................................................................. vii Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................... viii Abstracts ........................................................................................................................................ ix Chapter One .................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem ..................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Objective of the study .......................................................................................................... 5 1.3.1 General objective .................................................................................................................... 5 1.3.2 Specific objectives .................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Research questions ............................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Significance of the study ...................................................................................................... 5 1.6 Scope and delimitation of the study ..................................................................................... 6 1.7 Organization of the Thesis ................................................................................................... 7 Chapter Two.................................................................................................................................... 8 2. Review of Related Literature .................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Concepts ............................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.1 Natural resource and depletion .............................................................................................. 8 2.1.2 Pastoralism............................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Cause of natural resource depletion ................................................................................... 10 2.2.1 Climate change ...................................................................................................................... 10 2.2.2 Overgrazing ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.3 Encroachment of bush .......................................................................................................... 11 2.2.4 Sedenterazation ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.5 Drought .................................................................................................................................. 12 2.2.6 Rain-fed agriculture encroachment in rangelands ............................................................. 12 2.3 Effect of natural resource depletion ................................................................................... 12 2.3.1 Effects on livestock assets ................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Effects on food security ....................................................................................................... 13 2.3.3 Effects on water shortages ................................................................................................... 13 2.3.4 Effects on soil ........................................................................................................................ 13 2.3.5 Effects on biodiversity impoverishment ............................................................................ 13 2.3.6 Effects on the rangeland ecosystem ...................................................................................