Pastoralism, a livelihood system based on animal herding, has endured for centuries as a rational adaptation to often harsh and erratic grassland environments. Founded on mobility and flexibility, the pastoral system optimises the use of natural resources to maintain the livestock on which pastoralists depend for their well-being. As seen in the case of the Borana pastoralists of southern Ethiopia, however, various pressures, including poor policies, agricultural encroachment, population pressure and land degradation are now undermining the resilience of the system and of the natural resource base. Various strategies are being employed by NGOs to support the livelihoods of pastoralists in Borana. Since livestock is the mainstay of Borana livelihoods, a vital component of any intervention activity is to improve the condition of, and with it access to, the grasslands so that livestock can be maintained.

This dissertation begins by examining the pressures causing vulnerability amongst the Borana pastoralists of southern Ethiopia with specific emphasis on factors affecting the integrity of the rangeland management system. The livelihoods approach used in the paper helps to assess the importance of healthy rangelands for building assets and sustainable pastoralist livelihoods.

This analysis begs the question of what can be done to revitalise the degraded rangelands of Borana. The author therefore analyses the key rangeland management techniques being employed by NGOs to rejuvenate this natural resource base and assesses their strengths and weaknesses in order to recommend a way forward. The paper suggests that indigenous knowledge and skills can serve as a useful guide for managing the rangelands while at the same time enabling the Borana pastoralist community to engage with and take ownership of this development assistance and support.