Mobile Bomas Protect Sustainably Managed Livestock and Incomes of Rural Farmers in Southern Africa
As part of promoting sustainable livestock and rangeland management and reducing poverty among livestock farmers living near wildlife areas in Southern Africa, the Herding for Health (H4H) program has introduced mobile predator-proof bomas to reduce livestock and wildlife losses.
“One of the biggest threats farmers face is loss of their livestock due to predation. The mobile bomas not only keep livestock herds safe from free-roaming predators, but they also reduce the temptation by communities to commit retaliatory killing of predators due to livestock losses at night,” said Dr. Jacques Van Rooyen, Director of H4H, which is implemented by non-profits Conservation International and Peace Parks Foundation.
Designed as a full kit, complete with tensioners, poles, cables, anchors and clips, the bomas allow participating livestock farmers to easily vary their shape and size depending on their needs. The bomas can also be readily deployed on eroded patches or in crop fields to enhance soil fertilization, rangeland restoration, and crop yield.
To minimize predation during the day, Ecorangers — H4H-trained herders with specialized livestock and rangeland management skills — support communities to graze their herds collectively, a practice that al also help to restore the degraded rangelands.
“In some areas wildlife-livestock coexistence based on sound and sustainable principles can create more opportunities for livelihood diversification and hence reduce livelihood vulnerability,” said Dr. Van Rooyen.
H4H operates as a community development initiative that promotes rangeland restoration while supporting people living in rural areas to find their way out of extreme poverty by strengthening market access for their sustainably-managed herds.
“While many view livestock as a threat to conservation and especially rangeland health, it is in fact through the correct management of livestock and unlocking their value in underserved communities that significant benefits for sustainable land use and biodiversity conservation can be achieved.” Said Dr. Van Rooyen.
