Through the lens of a herder

Insights into landscape ethno-ecological knowledge on rangelands in Namaqualand

Dados Bibliográficos

ID2186863
AutoresMogamat Igshaan Samuels (0000-0002-5594-2623, Animal Production Institute, autor correspondente), Melvin Swarts (0000-0002-7445-1731, Animal Production Institute), Amy Schroeder (0000-0002-0503-3106, University of the Western Cape), Khululiwe Ntombela (0000-0003-3996-7780, Animal Production Institute), Clement Cupido (0000-0002-0908-0049, Animal Production Institute)
Ano2018
Volume41
Fascículo2
Páginas136-152
Data de publicação2018-04-03
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAnthropology Southern Africa (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2332-3264 • E-ISSN: 2332-3256
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23323256.2018.1462091
OpenAlexW2809787758
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas36

Pastoral areas around the world, including South Africa, are resource poor and external development interventions to improve conditions have largely been unsuccessful. It has been advocated that the focus should shift from external stakeholders to local pastoralists by incorporating the latter's landscape ethno-ecological knowledge (LEEK) in future management and policy planning. Through the use of participatory methodologies, this study gazed through the lens of Namaqualand herders in South Africa to reflect their specific local needs and what they consider important in their grazing landscape. It highlights that individual pastoralists' LEEK and management strategies vary but that all are able to read the signs in the rangeland through various plant, animal and soil indicators. As such, pastoralists systematically plan their grazing routes based on the temporal palatability of plants to allow their animals access to a diverse and nutritious diet. The braiding of LEEK into modern science would provide development agencies with the necessary insight into pastoral systems and a platform for planning and policy development

Agroforestry · Biology · Citizen journalism · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Grazing · Livestock · Pastoralism · Political science · Rangeland · Resource (disambiguation · Ecology · Rangeland and Wildlife Management · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology · Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology