Rangeland Conditions and Grazing Capacities on Livestock Farms During and After Drought in Three Biomes in South Africa

Ngoako L. Letsoalo (), Igshaan M. Samuels, Julius T. Tjelele, Hosia T. Pule, Clement F. Cupido and Adriaan Engelbrecht
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Ngoako L. Letsoalo: Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, Private Bag X 2, Irene 0062, South Africa
Igshaan M. Samuels: Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
Julius T. Tjelele: Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1709, South Africa
Hosia T. Pule: Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, Private Bag X 2, Irene 0062, South Africa
Clement F. Cupido: Agricultural Research Council–Animal Production, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
Adriaan Engelbrecht: Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, South Africa

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: Climate change has intensified extreme weather events worldwide, such as droughts, which have severely affected South Africa’s rangelands by reducing productivity and increasing livestock mortality. This study aimed to investigate variability in grazing capacities and stocking rates with respect to land tenure, long-term grazing capacity norms, field surveys, and farmer perceptions during and post-drought conditions in the three biomes in South Africa. In-person interviews and field surveys were conducted with 85 farmers from the Grassland ( n = 25), Savanna ( n = 35), and Nama-Karoo ( n = 30) biomes and vegetation condition was surveyed during or after the drought. Grazing capacity did not differ significantly across land tenure systems in the Savanna biomes ( p > 0.05), but significant differences were found in the Grassland and Nama-Karoo biomes ( p < 0.05). Over > 60% of farmers in the Nama-Karoo biome rated their rangeland condition as poor because of the drought, and field surveys showed that grazing capacities were four times lower than the national recommended grazing capacity norm. Considering the high inter-annual variability in vegetation productivity and differences in farmers’ perceptions based on local knowledge, it is recommended that the Department of Agriculture adopt flexible grazing capacity ranges in the regulations of the Conservation of Agricultural Resource Act 43 of 1983.

Keywords: climate change; land tenure; Nama-Karoo; practice theory; Savanna; stocking rate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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