Conservation aas ccultural aand ppolitical ppractice

Conservation oof ddryland bbiodiversity bby mmobile iindige-

nous ppeople—the ccase oof tthe GGabbra oof NNorthern KKenya

Francis CChachu GGanya, GGuyo OO. HHaro aand GGrazia BBorrini-FFeyerabend

TThe rangelands of Eastern Africa occupy

a very large proportion of the land area of

Kenya (88%), Tanzania (83%) and

Uganda (56%) as well as almost all of

Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti. Rangelands

harbour a very large number of plant

species (the actual total numbers is still

unknown). For Kenya, the number of

plants species is estimated at 7,500, out

of which 265 are endemic. Out of this

total, about 1000 species are of particular

concern for their actual or potential eco-

nomic importance and/or endemism.

Inhabitants of rangeland make use of a

wide variety of plants— ranging from large

trees to shrubs and herbs— for food, fod-

der, fuel-wood, timber, fibre, dyes, handi-

crafts, gum and resins, and medicine. The

relative importance of plant species varies

from one locality to another and from one

culture to another. In this paper we dis-

cuss the uses and associated conservation

patterns of natural resources by Gabbra

pastoralists in the Marsabit district of

Northern Kenya.

The Gabbra Pastoral Nomads of

Northern Kenya

In Kenya, the Gabbra are mostly found in

the Marsabit district, at the extreme north

of the country, bordering Ethiopia. They

share land with the Borana and Rendille

peoples, but people of Ariaal, Samburu,

Burji, El-Molo, Turkana and Somali origin

also live in the region. All are predomi-

nantly pastoralists, except the Burji (agro-

pastoralists) and Elmolo (mainly fishermen

along Lake Turkana). The land use pattern

of Marsabit’s residents is predominantly

pastoral and agro-pastoral, with about

85% of the population practicing nomadic

or semi-nomadic pastoralism. Agro-pas-

Summary.The Gabbra are a mobile indigenous people of northern Kenya. Their livelihood strategy,
through which they survived for centuries in one of the harshest environments on earth, managed to con-
serve biodiversity through a complex and sophisticated natural resource management system that includes
the raising of mixed livestock species; the practice of transhumance (mobility); the declaration and respect
of “range reserves”; the declaration and respect of use rules for plant species with specific economic and
cultural values; and a variety of rules and practices aiming at water conservation and at the protection of
water point environments. This paper discusses these practises and their biodiversity conservation results.
A number of phenomena that place these practices in jeopardy are mentioned in the paper, together with
recommendations about recognising, respecting and strengthening, rather than diminishing, a manage-
ment system that beautifully stood the test of time.

Figure 1.Mobile people make use of different eco-
logical niches in the landscape. (Courtesy Boku
Tache)