Borana Cattle Pastoralists in Southern Ethiopia Are Diversifying Their Livelihoods by Cultivating Land and Raising Camels

Borana are identified with cattle, which are important in their cultural, social, and ritual functions. Traditionally, the Borana relied solely on cattle for their livelihood, using a nomadic/transhumant pastoral system in which the cattle migrated between wet and dry season grazing areas. It is a patriarchal society with distinct gender roles. Women are responsible for the home and children, while men are responsible for grazing decisions and financial aspects of the livestock. Only men are clan leaders and manage wells, rangelands, and livestock, although women are more involved with livestock today. Due to frequent devastating droughts, which decimated the herds, the loss of grazing lands, inter-ethnic clashes, degradation of the rangelands, and the government’s intent to sedentarize the pastoralists and turn the rangeland to cropland, Borana were unable to sustain their households as cattle pastoralists. As a result, most Borana diversified their livelihoods by cultivating land and by non-pastoral non-farm activities such as employment ranging from manual labour to professional positions. They made and sold charcoal, collected and sold firewood, and marketed livestock and livestock products, while some Borana engaged in entrepreneurial activities, such as shopkeeping, petty trade, craft production, sales, transportation, and house and motor vehicle renting. Women sold milk, milk products, tea and unleavened cornbread, mainly in markets and near water sources. Borana also shifted their livestock from only cattle to include more drought-tolerant livestock, namely, camels, goats, and sheep. Some Borana left pastoralism and moved to urban centres, but still attempted to raise some cattle. Most Borana are reluctant to accept land cultivation, raising camels, and urbanization, but are forced to adapt to their new lifestyle to sustain the household.