Paper short abstract:

Pastoral landscapes in East Pokot were shaped by different processes, like the local extinction of wildlife, and pastoral groups had to respond to a great variety of changes. The future of these landscapes remains contested between pastoralism, land fragmentation, energy production and conservation.

Paper long abstract:

In many regions in eastern Africa pastoral groups are confronted with daunting challenges due to land fragmentation, socio-economic transformations and adverse effects of climate change. Yet pastoral groups have shown their ability to respond to long-term and rapid changes and adapt to new conditions.

In East Pokot, in northern Baringo County, particularly ecological changes exerted a strong influence on pastoral livelihoods in the past and compelled pastoral groups to respond to it. Recently, however, pastoralists are also exposed to relatively new, external interventions, such as the exploitation of energy from geothermal sources and efforts to establish nature conservation projects in the region. These impetuses for change are perceived and assessed with ambivalent feelings among the pastoral Pokot. While some pastoralists are taking advantage of the new income opportunities to secure their livelihoods, these measures are viewed critically by others who believe these innovations jeopardize pastoral strategies due to excessive land fragmentation.

In this paper, I address three topics with reference to the historical formation of pastoral landscapes and for the future of pastoralism in East Pokot: large-scale, incremental ecological changes, such as the local extinction of wildlife, and its effects on the landscape composition (1); more recent, rapid changes in the ecosystem (biological invasions) and pastoral response strategies (2); and socio-economic challenges related to geothermal energy production and conservation projects in the region (3).