(Featured image: Dr. Tom Thurow and Somalia National University students collecting rangeland composition data on the coastal plains of Central Somalia.)
Several months ago I made copies of the Range Management Handbook of Kenya available for free downloads https://storiesofeastafrica.com/2023/10/16/updated-range-management-handbook-of-kenya/. The response was so positive that I’ve decided to continue with other difficult to obtain publications on eastern Africa’s rangelands.
Somalia
Livestock husbandry is the major economic production system in Somalia. Thus, it isn’t surprising that over a number of years the country’s National Range Agency published two successive periodicals, Somali Rangeland Bulletin, and Somali Journal of Range Science, devoted to rangeland resources and their ecology, uses, and management. Publication ceased at or sometime before the breakdown of security in 1991. Unfortunately, I only have a few issues of the Somali Rangeland Bulletin. I also do not know if the Somali Journal of Range Science was published after 1988.
Livestock production is the dominant land use in Somalia.
(From Herlocker, D, A. Forbes & R. Douthwaite. Renewable Natural Resources and Production Systems: Issues and Priorities. IUCN 1997.
The Somali Range Bulletin was the first periodical published by the National Range Agency. It published technical and semi-technical articles on range management, forestry, wildlife and related subjects
Beginning in 1986, the Somali Journal of Range Science published scientific research pertaining to the study, management and use of Somalia’s rangeland resources. Faculty and students of the Somalia National University’s Department of Botany and Range Science were major contributors.
Examples of research published in the Somali Journal of Range Science
A. Mah & T. Thurow. Interrelationships of Acacia horrida cover with range forage on scrubland in central Somalia. Somali J. Range Science, Vol 3, No. 2.
Yicib distribution and status. P. Kuchar. Dry season forage survey in eastern Hiran Region, Central Somalia. Somali J. Range Science. Vol. 2, No. 2
An issue of the Somali Range Bulletin and some missing pages in an issue of the Somali Journal of Range Science were helpfully provided by Michael Madany and Jerry Barker respectively.
Jon Herlocker provided invaluable technical and financial assistance
Notify me if there are copyright problems.
Somali Range Bulletin – No 12, 1981
Somali Range Bulletin – No. 13, 1982
Somali Range Bulletin – No. 14-15, 1983
Somali Range Bulletin – No. 16, 1984
SOMALI JOURNAL OF RANGE SCIENCE – Vol.1 No.1, 1986
SOMALI JOURNAL OF RANGE SCIENCE – Vol.1 No.2
SOMALI JOURNAL OF RANGE SCIENCE – Vol.2 No.1, 1987
SOMALI JOURNAL OF RANGE SCIENCE – Vol.2 No.2