East African Pastoralism in Transition: Maasai, Boran, and Rendille Cases

Pastoralist societies in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) face more demands on their way of life than at any previous time. Population growth, loss of herding lands to farmers, ranchers, game parks, and urban growth, increased com- moditization of the livestock economy, out-migration by poor pastoralists, and dis- locations brought about by drought, famine, and civil war are increasing through- out the region. These problems are intensified as international development pro- grams encourage privatization and individuation of formerly communally held resources. The examples of the Maasai, Boran, and Rendille of Kenya demonstrate that East African pastoralists are responding to the social, political, and economic challenges with increased economic diversification including agro-pastoralism, wage labor, and increased market integration. These changes result in increased social and economic stratification, urban migration, and diminished nutrition for women and children.