The Improvement of Tropical and Subtropical Rangelands (BOSTID): Part I: The economic context: Determining costs and benefits

The Improvement of Tropical and Subtropical Rangelands (BOSTID)

(introduction...)

Acknowledgements

Panel on the improvement of tropical and subtropical rangelands

Contributors

National research council staff

Preface

Overview: Dimensions of a worldwide environmental crisis

The geographical scope

References

Part I

Introduction

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References

The nature of tropical and subtropical rangelands

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Range classification

Social system-ecosystem interactions

References

The social context for rangeland improvement

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Production systems in tropical and subtropical regions

Context of environmental degradation

References

The economic context

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Range systems

The basis of range economics

Project analysis

Determining costs and benefits

Resource evaluation

Market price determination

References

Regional resource assessment

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Information needs

Information acquisition

References

Site evaluation

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An ecosystem perspective

A systems approach to site evaluation

Evaluation of abiotic and biotic components

Integrated evaluations

References

Grazing management

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Grazing management concepts

Time of grazing

Distribution of grazing

Type of animal grazing

Number of animals grazing

Grazing management planning

Grazing management systems

Livestock management

The herima system in Mali

References

Rehabilitation techniques

Establishing plants on the range

Natural revegetation

Direct seeding

Improvement of tropical and subtropical rangelands

Selected practices

References

Criteria for plant selection

Project planning

Socioeconomic and management considerations in feasibility studies

Adaptation to ecoclimatic conditions

Adaptation to soils

Adaptation to physiography, geomorphology, topography, slope, and aspect

Ability of introduced species to compete with native vegetation

Use regimes

Availability of seeds and plant materials

Maintenance of biological diversity

Plant improvement

References

Part II

Introduction to the case studies

Pastoral regimes of Mauritania

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Physical geography

Migration cycle

The Beni Mguild of Morocco

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Physical geography

Migratory cycle

The Kel Tamasheq

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Introduction

Camp organization

References

Dromedary pastoralism in Africa and Arabia

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Introduction

Reproduction and risk

Management and labor

Subsistence production

Marketing

Predatory pastoralism

The future of camel pastoralism

References

The mountain nomads of Iran: Basseri and Bakhtiari

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The physical environment

The basseri

The bakhtiari

The Marri Baluch of Pakistan

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Physical environment

Seasons and migrations

A mixed economic system

Conclusiones

Changing patterns of resource use in the Bedthi-Aghanashini valleys of Karnataka state, India

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Introduction

The setting

Human communities

Traditional patterns of resource management

Colonial period

After independence

Recent trends

References

Kenya: Seeking remedies for desert encroachment

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Introduction

Background

Traditional pastoralism

Baseline studies

Vegetation and livestock

Directions for the future

The hema system in the Arabian peninsula

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Rights of ownership or use

The hema system in Saudi Arabia

The mahmia or marah, and the koze system in Syria

Neglect of the hema and its consequences

Hema in the range improvement and conservation programs in the near east

References

Wildlife land use at the Athi River, Kenya

(introduction...)

Background

Some early findings

Conclusion

Camel husbandry in Kenya: Increasing the productivity of ranchland

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Introduction

Location

Vegetation

Livestock

Introduction of camels

Management and adaptability

Reproduction and lactation

Veterinary notes

Economics

Reference

The potential of faidherbia albida for desertification control and increased productivity in Chad

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Background

Characteristics of faidherbia albida

Project description

Project analysis and evaluation

Conclusions

References

Improving Nigeria's animal feed resources: Pastoralists and scientists cooperate in fodder bank research

Board on science technology for international development

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Members

Determining costs and benefits

Computing costs and benefits involves use of simple without with comparisons. Specific allowances are not made for time lags, except for charging interest for use of capital. Budgeting in such a static framework, or without-with project-context comparisons, can give a first indication of feasibility or nonfeasibility of a rangeresource-improvement project. Simple comparisons ignore time lags in phasing different stages into production and can overlook or ignore costs of capital through the developmental stages, exaggerate returns and feasibility, and underestimate problems that can arise. Budgeting year-to-year estimated changes through the transition period, though complicated, will aid in anticipating some of those problems. If the project resources are suitable and the project is successful, changes in physical production responses on a year-to-year basis may be predictable with some degree of certainty. Price changes often are unpredictable. Evaluations can be based on longer term average prices with year-to-year changes in production. Discounting procedures can be used to allow for valid comparisons of alternatives through time.

Benefits that might accrue from and be attributed to range-improvement projects may include increases in both the quality and quantity of outputs, depending on factors previously mentioned. When considering a resource improvement project that produces an intermediate product, such as forage, then improvement in quality of output may still be important but is of a somewhat different form. These are called intrinsic benefits. For example, improvement in forage quality has one or a combination of the following characteristics:

· Higher protein content
· Lower fiber content
· Higher total digestible nutrient (TDN) content
· Greater palatability to some species of animals consuming the forage.

While some of these characteristics are being improved during the periods of active plant growth, and on through the periods of maturity, an added bonus of residual plant biomass during periods of plant dormancy is also useful for soil conservation. A second benefit could be simply an increased quantity of output.

Marketable output is the benefit most commonly expected from range projects. The increased physical production may result from: (1) improving the productivity of the native resource; (2) expanding the land area in production by conversion of native range, woodland, or jungle land to cropland or improved forage; (3) extending complete or supplemental irrigation water to arid or semiarid lands; or, (4) improving seasonal water supplies, even in more humid areas. Production may also be increased without increasing land area when projects use genetically superior seed, hybridization, fertilizers, or pesticides for control of weeds, insects, or disease. Increased production may result in marketing of the larger amount of products for the benefit of society or may allow greater consumption for the family or the social unit directly involved in the project.

When a resource development project involves forage production and livestock, then increases in forage production can be followed by increases in the number of livestock on the land and a greater yield of consumable or marketable livestock and products. This would produce one kind of effect on flow of returns, as the requirement for increased animals requires a savings (or investment) in addition to the resource development costs. It is also important to recognize that benefits in livestock production may be reflected in increased production of calves, lambs, kids, or young camels without larger numbers of the basic breeding herd.

Overstocking of rangeland is detrimental to livestock production. Increased production of livestock, therefore, can only be considered in light of long-term efforts to improve the range resource. Increased forage supply used only to ameliorate overutilization of rangelands can result in improvement in percent age of calf or lamb crops , in increased gains of growing animals, and probably in reduced mortality of both breeding stock and growing animals. Special use pastures or pastures to fill particular seasonal needs may produce these effects also. Benefits of these types may well be associated with very high returns on resource development costs. Output may also be increased by a simple increase in forage production and expansion of livestock output. Increased forage also makes it possible to increase the number of breeding herd animals; even if they are producing at the same level as without the project, output will increase.