Incentives for Offtake and for Stratification

Policies to encourage greater and earlier offtake from rangelands will vary greatly by production system. The nature of accumulation in pastoralist systems is complex, and while they undoubtedly will respond to changed livestock prices, response will not be straight forward.

Decisions on exchange rates and import/export policies are unlikely to be made solely to address livestock-environment interactions, but, as suggested by Sahelian experience, realistic exchange rates and an end to developed country dumping of livestock products will ultimately favour a more commercial approach to livestock production and stimulate offtake of surplus males.

As traditional pastoralists generally use few government services or government-provided infrastructure, and because of the nature of their accumulation, cost-recovery on these is unlikely to be as effective as it will be for commercial and semi-commercial producers. In the latter case, these policies will be important to pass on to producers the full cost of livestock ownership, and also to resource the management of these services.

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