The Garissa administration plans to secure rangelands to minimise conflicts between pastoralists and farmers, Agriculture executive Mohamed Shale has said.
Shale said proper rangeland management will stimulate development and production by reducing time spent solving conflicts between land users.
"Secured grazing lands for pastoralists will not only ensure sustainable use of rangelands but it will also reduce conflicts between pastoralists and farmers," he said.
Shale spoke when he opened a participatory rangeland management workshop in Garissa county.
"Improving rangelands for livestock is crucial for pastures, healthy livestock and happy pastoralists," he said.
He urged the team implementing the rangeland management plan to create impactful ways of addressing major challenges facing pastoralists in the over 150,000 hectares pasture land in Garissa county.
The participatory rangeland management tool kit seeks to reduce conflicts among land users in the area, a problem which has become severe in recent years.
The project also contributes to improving the productivity of the land and enhancing environmental services.
Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands and deserts used as grazing land by domestic livestock or wild animals.
It does not include forests which lack grazable vegetation, barren desert, farmland, or land covered by solid rock.
They are distinguished from pasture lands because they grow primarily native vegetation, rather than plants established by humans.
The workshop was also attended by representatives from Mercy Corps, ILRI and other NGOs partners alongside the county technical team led by livestock director Haret Hambe.
(edited by O. Owino)
