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Preface:

The Dryland Husbandry Project (DHP) in Uganda was a regional undertaking of all the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) Countries. The pastoralists in the IGAD countries inhabit harsh deteriorating rangelands that have for many years supported the large herds of livestock where they derive their livelihoods. These pastoral communities face shrinking grazing resources, chronic water shortages, lack extension services, face livestock diseases, frequent droughts and gender imbalance of access to pastoral resources. It is also a sector that contributes significantly to the national economy, which in the past received limited government support, especially on research and development. In Uganda, over 95% of the livestock is under pastoral production systems and contributes about 17% of GDP and food security (meat and milk) of high nutritional value.It was on this basis that Uganda received funding from Sida/SAREC through OSSREA to conduct action research in Kazo County, Mbarara District from 1996 to 2003. The funding was made to address the above challenges using professionals from Makerere University, Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the National Agricultural Research Organisation, NGOs, local Council Leaders and local communities. The project employed a bottom-up approach and identified priorities in the project area along with members of the community. It was participatory and action-oriented and worked with pastoralists and agro-pastoralists at the grassroots level.

This book is the first of its kind in Uganda to contain a compendium of research papers written by professionals who implemented the project that are addressing some of the issues that the pastoral communities face in the arid rangelands popularly known as the Cattle Corridor. The book has 10 chapters tackling different aspects of the rangelands and it concludes by suggesting the necessary interventions that the Government has to put in order to sustain the utilisation and management of dry lands (rangelands) in Uganda.

This book has been written and edited in a style that makes it more readable and understandable by a wide range of audience in the Country and beyond.