Description

The study was conducted to assess the pastoralist perceptions on rangeland resources and utilization, investigating the vegetation composition, rangeland diversity, plants biomass production and evaluating the conditions of rangeland based on vegetation and soil physical characteristics. Basal cover, number of seedlings, age distribution, soil erosion, soil compaction, species composition and woody density were measured for range condition scores. The major feed resource in the study area is natural pasture. Feed shortage, rangeland cultivation, recurrent drought and disease were the major constraints of livestock production. Mobility, use of collected feed, sale of animals and use of fodder trees were some of the copping strategies for the constraints. Over grazing, human population, crop expansion, increased livestock density and drought were the factors for poor rangeland condition. Herd mobility, enclosing grazing land, herd splitting and livestock diversification were some of the traditional rangeland management. Regarding the range condition, enclosure areas were found in a good condition while communal and riversides were in fair and poor condition classes, respectively.