Overgrazing and Range Degradation in Africa: Is There Need and Scope for Government Control of Livestock Numbers?

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Periodical article

Title:	Overgrazing and Range Degradation in Africa: Is There Need and Scope for Government Control of Livestock Numbers?
Author:	Jarvis, L.S.
Year:	1991
Periodical:	Eastern Africa Economic Review
Volume:	7
Issue:	1
Pages:	95-116
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	animal husbandry grasslands Politics and Government Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Development and Technology Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
Abstract:	This paper analyses the possible effects of increasing livestock numbers in Africa on pastoralist productivity. Using a simple model of natural resource exploitation, the paper differentiates between the expected effects of private, common and open access grazing rights. It argues that overgrazing is likely to be a more serious problem than range degradation, and that overgrazing is likely to be manifested by increasingly frequent and/or serious droughts, with significant animal mortality. Efforts to control overgrazing through government use of taxes and/or grazing permits are likely to have severe negative effects on pastoralist welfare. The shadow value of land is rising with higher population pressures, and should lead to increasing land individuation, implying significant changes for pastoralist life. Bibliogr., notes, sum.