Grazing: Semi-Arid

Grazing systems in semi-arid zones

Long dry seasons (6 to 9 months) alternate with rainy periods sufficient to support rainfed cultivation on the best soils. Many rivers are temporal, the permanent surface water areas being the bigest rivers, permanent ponds and pools. Often wells and boreholes are necessary for supplying water to people and animals. The lowlands, flooded or marshy in wet season, are often converted into irrigated cultivation areas or dry season crops.

Extensive grazing is a very common activity in most semi-arid areas. Herds of ruminants use a variety of forage resources like grasslands, dry season pastures in lowlands, crop residues and forage (browsing) trees. The native vegetation can be shrub savanna or wooded savanna, thorny bushes, dry woodlands, seasonally flooded grasslands. Establishing cultivated permanent pastures is hazardous and not sustainable in the driest regions of this zone, but in many situations, pasture improvement with grasses, legumes and trees is possible. During the dry season the main constraints are the availability of feed and water resources in quantity and quality, and the accessibility of rangelands.

Livestock density can reach, and even exceed, the actual carrying capacity (number of animals which the land can support, due to the relatively good health conditions for animals in these zones and the success of animal rearing for subsistence and market.

Extension of cropping areas is commonly the main evolution of the land use in these zones and grazing systems may evaluate into mixed farming systems.

Three main grazing systems can be distinguished according to degree of mobility and land tenure :

- Mobile grazing sub-system on communal area : LGS1
- Sedentary grazing sub-system on communal area : LGS2
- Grazing sub-system in ranching : LGS3

> > [Livestock & Environment Toolbox Home]