Animals Feed in Transition: Intricate Interplay of Land Use Land Cover Change and Fodder Sources in Kurram Valley, Pakistan

Kamal Hussain (), Fazlur Rahman, Ihsan Ullah, Zahir Ahmad and Udo Schickhoff ()
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Kamal Hussain: Department of Geography, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, Khairpur 66020, Pakistan
Fazlur Rahman: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Ihsan Ullah: Department of Geography, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Zahir Ahmad: Department of Geography, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
Udo Schickhoff: CEN Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Geography, University of Hamburg, Bundesstr. 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany

Resources, 2024, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Land use land cover (LULC) changes have emerged as a pivotal driver of environmental challenges in the Northwestern mountainous belts of Pakistan. These changes are increasingly recognized for their pervasive impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. The conversion of pastures and rangelands into other land uses is a key facet of LULC change, posing a substantial threat to the availability of animal feed sources. This study aims to evaluate LULC changes and investigate their consequences on animal feed sources in the Upper Kurram Valley, located in the Koh-e-Safid mountain of Northwestern Pakistan. The study employs a multidisciplinary methodological approach that incorporates remotely sensed data, focus group discussions, interviews, and field observations. The study findings uncover a notable decline in rangeland (26.6%) and forest cover (28.7%) over a span of more than three decades (1987–2019). The shrinkage of rangeland has spurred an increased reliance on crop residues and fodder crops. The free grazing practices have been replaced by stall-feeding and controlled grazing methods. This declining rangeland resources has negatively affected animal husbandry, and the average number of livestock per household decreased from 32 in 1980 to 3.7 in 2019. In essence, this transition has not only impacted animal feed sources but also reshaped the livelihoods of local communities closely connected to animal husbandry.

Keywords: free grazing; GIS and remote sensing; livelihood and food security; rangeland; Upper Kurram (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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