1. PERCEPTIONS OF PASTORALISTS: AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR PASTORAL DEVELOPMENT IN EASTERN AFRICA By Michael Ochieng Odhiambo Presentation Prepared for Cordaid’s Study Conference on Pastoralism in East Africa and Policy Influencing in Europe, June 17-19 2009

2. MAP OF EAST AFRICA – PASTORAL AREAS?

3. WHY REFLECT ON PERCEPTIONS OF PASTORALISTS? Persistence of perceptions for over a century – continuity from colonial to post-colonial era Pervasive influence of perceptions on the discourse on development and change in pastoral areas of East Africa –Defining what is seen as “the problem” and what are proposed as “solutions” –Result: inappropriate development action in pastoral areas since independence Perceptions underpin interactions between pastoralists and others –Governments –Other livelihood and land-use groups –Development partners –Researchers Perceptions responsible for ‘isolation’ of pastoralists and undermine their integration – social, political and economic Perceptions define what pastoralists see as their place and role in their societies

4. PASTORALISTS PERCEPTIONS BY GOVERNMENTS PERCEPTIONS BY OTHER CITIZENS PERCEPTIONS BY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

5. IMAGES OF PASTORALISTS Wandering aimlessly irrational Resistant to change Backward militaristic Cattle complex Degrade the environment lazy Proud, conceited Ignorant Stuck in tradition difficult

6. COMMON PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PASTORALISTS ( Source: UNDP, 2003) 1.Nomadic pastoralism is archaic, backward and retrogressive 2.Mobility is backward, chaotic and disruptive 3.Pastoralists keep too many cattle, overgraze and degrade the rangelands 4.Pastoral land use demonstrates the tragedy of the commons 5.African pastoralists do not sell their cattle – instead they hoard them, admire them and compose poems about them 6.Pastoralists contribute little to national economies 7.Pastoralism compares poorly with ranching and farming in terms of productivity 8.Pastoralists are resistant to change and new technologies of livestock production 9.Mobility makes it difficult for governments to provide social services to pastoralists 10.All pastoralists are rich – or alternatively, all pastoralists are poor and in need of food aid

7. WHY THE PERCEPTIONS PERSIST…AND ARE DANGEROUS! They are simple, straight forward (even simplistic) explanations of complex realities –“there is an element of truth…” They feed on general ignorance about the realities of pastoralism Most of them are part of a scientific discourse on rangelands development extending over a century –Respectable scientists… For governments, they provide a ready answer and explanation for the failure of development in pastoral areas –Blaming the victim… For the most part, pastoralists are not active participants in the discourse –Their story is being told by others… –They are objects rather than subjects of analysis…

8. BUT NOT ALL PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PASTORALISTS ARE NEGATIVE… …and positive perceptions can be just as dangerous! Pastoralists are homogeneous in their vulnerability, poverty and marginalization –cf. differentiation within pastoral society – gender, class, wealth, power –Place and role of an emerging pastoral elite – educated, political leaders, traders, etc Pastoralists are the indigenous peoples of East Africa –Global indigenous peoples discourse and the Maasai Pastoralists are a minority that is marginalized from political decision-making Government policies in East Africa are anti-pastoralism Pastoralists as an anthropological phenomenon –the museum characterization of pastoralists, commercialization of their culture for tourism

9. HAVE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS PLAYED ANY ROLE IN PERPETUATING THESE PERCEPTIONS? How friends of pastoralists can end up being their worst enemies! International NGOs and donors are critical actors in pastoral development discourse and action Many development partners got involved in pastoral development through humanitarian aid and assistance –responding to drought, famine and conflict The narrative of humanitarian crisis has tended to continue to define this engagement –effectiveness of images of drought, famine and conflict in attracting the attention of Western sympathizers –preference for service delivery over engagement with strategic concerns about capacity development and policy issues Enchantment in the West with traditional cultures, practices and identities of pastoralists – in both academic and development circles –the tall, proud, fearless, warrior Maasai image Some pastoralists elites have taken advantage of this enchantment –examples in Kenya and Tanzania of large investments in pastoral civil society In some cases, development partners have made it possible for governments to abdicate their duties in pastoral areas development

10. WAY FORWARD HOW TO ADDRESS THE PERCEPTIONS? RECONCILE/IIED analysis arising from their project on reinforcement of pastoral civil society in East Africa –In addition to addressing immediate challenges of service delivery, take a long- term perspective of pastoralists’ empowerment through… A two-pronged approach to address the two fundamental challenges to pastoralism –Address the knowledge gap – deepen understanding of pastoralism among key development actors (government, local and international NGOs, etc) –Address the power gap – reinforce capacities of pastoralists and their organizations to engage with development policy processes Strengthen pastoral civil society to make it strong, accountable and transparent to engender loyalty confidence and support from pastoralists Deepen their understanding of policy processes, how they work, how to influence them In this way pastoralists will be enabled to tell their story, to fight their corner, to be effective partners in development and change

11. ASANTENI SANA!