Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D. Student of Rangeland Science, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
Abstract
Data gathering was done using 405 respondents from nomads and also 45 respondents from well-skilled and knowledgeable experts regarding migration and livestock grazing management in Fars and Bushehr provinces with the aim of identification and analyzing the most important factors affecting early and well-timed migration toward summer rangelands in Qashqai nomad (Shesh-Bolooki tribe) ecosystem in 2015. Descriptive and analytic methodology was applied using questionnaire and interview methods. In this study, the views of two respondent groups were assessed using Likert scale (five ordered response levels). Then, they were compared through parametric and non-parametric tests including analysis of variance, Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. The results showed that there was a significant difference between experts and beneficiaries views with regard to the priority of factors (P<0.01). Based on experts’ views, the lack of enough forage in winter rangelands, early warm weather in winter rangelands, decreasing of precipitation and consecutive droughts, not having grazing license in winter rangelands and degradation of migration route were the most important factors affecting early migration. However, according to the beneficiaries’ views, reduced precipitation and consecutive droughts, not-having grazing license for winter rangelands, lack of enough forage in winter rangelands, lack of health facilities and services on the way from winter rangelands to summer rangelands and competing to reach summer rangelands among the beneficiaries, were introduced as the most important factors affecting early migration. Based upon the experts views, determining migration time by the government in coordination with beneficiaries, establishment of temporary settlements on the way between summer and winter rangelands, controlling the Stipa capensis species in winter rangelands through rangeland improvement plans, assigning rangers for summer rangelands and government support through providing supplementary forage were among the most important factors affecting well timed migration. According to the beneficiaries’ views, existing of suitable forage in winter rangelands, government support through supplementary forage provision, lack of competition between beneficiaries on reaching and exploiting summer rangelands, existing of enough forage in winter rangelands and having enough drinking water in winter rangelands rangelands In this research, it was found that there is a significant correlation between experts views (P <0.01); however, no significant correlation was found between the beneficiaries views.
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