Land-use and Land-cover Changes in Pastoral Drylands: Long-term Dynamics, Economic Change, and Shifting Socioecological Frontiers in Baringo, Kenya

Abstract The ongoing fragmentation of pastoral drylands is a matter concern throughout Africa. Using the example rangelands in northern Baringo County, Kenya, that were under uniform use until late twentieth century, we trace land-use and land-cover changes (LULCCs) since 1980s. Based on ethnographic, historical, remote sensing data, show how bush encroachment dryland farming have led to increasing modification conversion formerly open diversification livelihoods. These LULCC dynamics are related driven not only by internal processes socioeconomic change (e.g., sedentarization, changing rangeland management practices, growing markets for small stock, stratification cultural differentiation) but also ecological such as wildlife defaunation invasions. our findings, suggest socioecological approach Kopytoff’s notion African frontier can be helpful framing these LULCC-related dynamics.