Publication Date

1993

Description

This paper looks at livestock and wildlife utilisation in Africa within the framework of total economic value (TEV), which includes both utilisation and biodiversity values. In Africa, traditional use of wildlife involves open access systems on public land, Here, free ranging, public wildlife resources are used to produce subsistence or marketed meat and skins at smaII scale. Traditional livestock systems involve open access use of rangelands. Here, livestock are kept at small ·scale to produce draft power, milk, meat and as a store of .value. Commercial use of wildlife involves restricted access systems on both public and private lands. Here, wildlife is managed in varying intensities to produce recreational viewing and hunting, and meat and skins. Commercial livestock production involves restricted access, use of private rangelands for investment in stock, and production of meat, skins, wool and hair. Generally, the effect of wildlife systems on habitat is more variable than that of livestock systems, which tend to cause heavy pressure and stress on vegetation, With wildlife systems the tendency is to overuse the wildlife and not the rangelands. Here also, factors such as mortality, dispersal and density-dependent feedback restrict animal densities. In livestock systems the value of stock "on the hoof' results in a general tendency to maximise the use of habitat, Biodiversity values are highest and best maximised in protected, public wildlife areas, They are lowest and least conserved in specialised, intensive livestock and wildlife production systems. In Africa, high human population growth, poverty and development pressure mean that tangible economic values (use values) have a high priority. The maximisation of total economic value in Africa is best served by systems of land-use zoning which regulate resource use in harmony with economic forces.

Share

COinS
 

Economic and Ecological Features of Livestock and Wildlife Utilization in Africa

This paper looks at livestock and wildlife utilisation in Africa within the framework of total economic value (TEV), which includes both utilisation and biodiversity values. In Africa, traditional use of wildlife involves open access systems on public land, Here, free ranging, public wildlife resources are used to produce subsistence or marketed meat and skins at smaII scale. Traditional livestock systems involve open access use of rangelands. Here, livestock are kept at small ·scale to produce draft power, milk, meat and as a store of .value. Commercial use of wildlife involves restricted access systems on both public and private lands. Here, wildlife is managed in varying intensities to produce recreational viewing and hunting, and meat and skins. Commercial livestock production involves restricted access, use of private rangelands for investment in stock, and production of meat, skins, wool and hair. Generally, the effect of wildlife systems on habitat is more variable than that of livestock systems, which tend to cause heavy pressure and stress on vegetation, With wildlife systems the tendency is to overuse the wildlife and not the rangelands. Here also, factors such as mortality, dispersal and density-dependent feedback restrict animal densities. In livestock systems the value of stock "on the hoof' results in a general tendency to maximise the use of habitat, Biodiversity values are highest and best maximised in protected, public wildlife areas, They are lowest and least conserved in specialised, intensive livestock and wildlife production systems. In Africa, high human population growth, poverty and development pressure mean that tangible economic values (use values) have a high priority. The maximisation of total economic value in Africa is best served by systems of land-use zoning which regulate resource use in harmony with economic forces.