“Profound transformations in communal land tenure systems are taking place in parts of southern Africa that have resulted
from decades of interventions, particularly the shrinking of the commonage through capture of extensive tracts of lands
by private interests. Some policies have been into place that envisage improved management of common rangeland
resources through privatisation. However, empirical evidence is lacking as to what extent these may have been successful.
Traditional management systems in communal areas have been broken down to the extent that many of them are now more
characteristic of open access systems. An alternative to meeting the challenge of managing resources in common rangelands is
to develop community-based rangeland resource management systems that build on the strengths of traditional management
approaches. Therefore a call is made on the use of indigenous knowledge systems and empowering communities to manage
their rangeland resources, in order to prevent open access and promoting improved rangeland management and more sustainable livelihoods.”
