Rangeland Health

Grazing management for rangeland conservation 

ERS and local communities implement strategies to sustainably manage grazing practices to conserve and enhance rangeland ecosystems. To achieve this, ERS enters into Conservation Agreements with communities to implement a rotational grazing and resting system that supports grassland recovery.  ERS and local communities monitor the rested areas for compliance and recovery. This citizen-science approach has a rigorous grassland science foundation – which is understanding the utilization, conservation and improvement of rangelands.

The rangeland management program includes for-profit business opportunities for livestock farmers. ERS, for example, supports building market linkages to provide a ready and fair price market for livestock. ERS, through an MoU, collaborates with Meat Naturally Africa, who conducts mobile livestock markets in the villages. Farmers are free to sell to other buyers, but won’t receive the incentives and support unless buyers participate in the rangeland restoration programme. We source funding for the rangeland support work from various donors including WWF and Conservation International (CI). 

Conservation agreements to improve rangeland health

Working together with communities, ERS has facilitated the signing of over 30 conservation agreements with local communities, aiming to add five more associations. These agreements bind communities to practice rotational grazing and resting to allow grasslands to recover.  Accompanying incentives for communities increase compliance with the agreements.  Results have been recorded demonstrating improvements in both quantity and quality of forage. 

Supporting livestock farming and governance through Rangeland Associations

ERS has played a crucial role in establishing Rangeland Associations to promote livestock farming initiatives and strengthen governance institutions. We actively engage with local government partners, traditional authorities, local farmers, and NGOs in forming partnerships for water and rangeland management, setting a distinct example compared to other regions in the country. ERS signs conservation agreements with these associations, where incentives such as mobile livestock auctions, livestock vaccination,  and fire management training are provided in exchange for compliance with agreed grazing management plans. ERS, farmers and youths jointly monitor compliance; a citizen science approach that promotes learning and sustains good practices.