This study documents the causes and processes behind the uptake of crop cultivation by a Maasai community of southern Kenya which, until recently, was still devoted to full-time mobile livestock keeping. Based on the methods of comparative agriculture and a detailed quantification of household income from livestock and cash crops, a classification of farm units (n = 38) into nine production systems reveals that agro-pastoralism on the Mbirikani group ranch, which is situated between Amboseli and Chyulu Hills national parks, is now mainstream, and that crops can exceed 70% of household income. Microeconomic analysis also documents large disparities in household income, with irrigated tomato farms benefiting from access to a pipeline ranking highest in profitability. Overall, the pastoralist-peasant dichotomy ingrained in portrayals of East-African rural life has outlived its relevance, with the tomato currently being a key game changer. This growing appeal for agriculture, however, is threatening the wildlife conservation because the profitability of tomato cropping has begun to outcompete those employment alternatives. By promoting landscape fragmentation and water extraction, however, irrigated agriculture also undermines free movement of wild animals outside the parks, restricts access to the key resources they require, and exacerbates human-wildlife conflicts.
Why pastoralists grow tomatoes: Maasai livelihood dynamics in Amboseli, southern Kenya
Résumé
en
This study documents the causes and processes behind the uptake of crop cultivation by a Maasai community of southern Kenya which, until recently, was still devoted to full-time mobile livestock keeping. Based on the methods of comparative agriculture and a detailed quantification of household income from livestock and cash crops, a classification of farm units (n = 38) into nine production systems reveals that agro-pastoralism on the Mbirikani group ranch, which is situated between Amboseli and Chyulu Hills national parks, is now mainstream, and that crops can exceed 70% of household income. Microeconomic analysis also documents large disparities in household income, with irrigated tomato farms benefiting from access to a pipeline ranking highest in profitability. Overall, the pastoralist-peasant dichotomy ingrained in portrayals of East-African rural life has outlived its relevance, with the tomato currently being a key game changer. This growing appeal for agriculture, however, is threatening the wildlife conservation because the profitability of tomato cropping has begun to outcompete those employment alternatives. By promoting landscape fragmentation and water extraction, however, irrigated agriculture also undermines free movement of wild animals outside the parks, restricts access to the key resources they require, and exacerbates human-wildlife conflicts.
Auteur(s)
Charlotte Hemingway1
, Hubert Cochet2
, François Mialhe3
, Yanni Gunnell3
1
UMR SELMET -
Systèmes d'élevage méditerranéens et tropicaux
( 1096420 )
- TA C-112 / A - Campus international de Baillarguet ou Avenue Agropolis 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
- France
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement UMR112 ( 11574 )
;
Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement UMR0868 ( 577435 )
;
Institut Agro Montpellier ( 1096330 )
;
Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement ( 1042499 )
2
AgroParisTech
( 148117 )
- 22 place de l'Agronomie CS 20040 91123 Palaiseau cedex
- France
3
EVS -
Environnement, Ville, Société
( 145345 )
- 18 Rue Chevreul
69362 LYON CEDEX 07
UMR 5600
- France
École normale supérieure de Lyon UMR5600 ( 6818 )
;
École des Mines de Saint-Étienne UMR5600 ( 29212 )
;
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon ( 219748 )
;
Université de Lyon ( 301088 )
;
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées ( 301232 )
;
Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne UMR5600 ( 300284 )
;
École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État UMR5600 ( 300365 )
;
École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Lyon ( 411390 )
;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR5600 ( 441569 )
Licence
Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale - Pas de modification
Langue du document
Anglais
Nom de la revue
Journal of Rural Studies
(ISSN : 0743-0167)
Publié par Elsevier
Revue non référencée dans Sherpa-Romeo
Vulgarisation
Non
Comité de lecture
Oui
Audience
Internationale
Volume
92
Page/Identifiant
253-268
Version du document
postprint
Public visé
Scientifique
Date de publication
2022-05
Date de publication électronique
2022-04-20
Projet(s) ANR
Les Maasaï, les gnous, et la métropole (Magnum) Comprendre la complexité socio-écologique des paysages de migration de la faune sauvage au sud du Parc National de Nairobi, Kenya – Une approche interdisciplinaire, collaborative and opérationnelle
[En savoir plus]
MAGNUM -
ANR-16-CE03-0004
AAPG2016
- 2016
Domaine(s)
Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]/Sciences agricoles
Sciences de l'environnement/Environnement et Société