ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the patterns of pastoral adaptation to arid environments, how the adaptive processes are affected by extended periods of drought, and what types of development might be appropriate under those conditions. The Boran-Gabra pastoral ecosystem is basically stable in spite of the fact that it is periodically exposed to deep perturbations. Boran wells reveal another feature of their symbiotic relationship with trees. A specialized type of nomadism has evolved in Boran and Gabra country that allows the pastoralist to regulate the density of human population in relation to the other populations that make up the pastoral ecosystem. Boran and Gabra range management strategies continue to function well in areas that are somewhat removed from modern influences. The Boran’s and the Gabra’s reasons for postponing marriage may be quite different from those of the national demographers— nonetheless they are mutually supportive ideas.
