To understand the sustainable development potential of a pastoral system it is necessary to understand the natural resources upon which it is based. It is also important to understand some social, organisational and demographic aspects of pastoral society whose features are shaped by interactions between people and their natural resources.
The Borana Plateau is probably one of the most studied regions in Africa with many detailed accounts of its geology, hydrology, vegetation and sociology (see AGROTEC/CRG/SEDES Associates, 1974a-1). This chapter will not attempt to summarise all that has been done prior to 1980. Instead, this material highlights key information from the literature and introduces recent findings from research and other empirical observations.
