ABSTRACT

This chapter reviews trends in resource management in semiarid rangelands of Africa. It outlines the ecology of semi-arid environments in order to provide an understanding of their functions and dynamics which, according to Walker is an inevitable prerequisite for ecologically sound management and optimal use of resources in semi-arid rangelands. The chapter discusses the impact of the livestock industry on the subsistence use of wildlife and veld products in the semi-arid rangelands of Botswana is examined as an example to illustrate the effect that more intensive forms of agriculture are having on ecologically marginal environments in Africa. Botswana is a land locked semi-arid country located in Southern Africa, Like all such environments, the country is naturally characterised by vast rangelands which are predominantly grass cover with scattered shrubs and trees. Rapid increase in livestock numbers, colonization and modernization, land use changes, governments policies, international influence and other factors, have all contributed to this growth.