ABSTRACT
Pastoralism – a way of life based on keeping herds of grazing animals – is an extensive form of land use in Ethiopia. Ethiopian lowland areas, which typically have elevations of 1,500 metres (m) or less, constitute rangelands and are found in the northeastern, eastern, southern, and southwestern parts of the country. Nine of ten people living in these areas pursue pastoral and agropastoral activities as primary modes of livelihood. Many of these areas lie in the semi-arid and arid zones of the country. Precipitation is low and unpredictable and, compared to the highlands, the lowlands are at an increased risk of drought. Rangelands occupy more than one-half of the country’s total land area and provide a livelihood for about 10 per cent of the country’s population and home for 40 per cent of the estimated cattle population, 75 per cent of the goats, 25 per cent of the sheep, 20 per cent of the equines, and 100 per cent of the camels.1 This chapter explores Ethiopia’s pastoral resources – their ecology, distribution, and condition.
