Full article:
https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2018.1440630
Summary:
South Africa’s Agricultural Research Council completed this study over a 6-year period (2010-2016) comparing the Africa Centre for Holistic Management’s land at Dimbangombe under Holistic Planned Grazing (HGP), to nearby communal areas where HPG was not practiced. The researchers concluded that HPG yields positive long-term effects on ecosystem services (soils and vegetation) and points to the HPG approach enhancing the sustainability of livestock and wildlife in this environment. Dimbangombe had significantly higher rangeland condition than the communal lands: stable perennial grass composition with the plants growing much closer together. In the communal areas, similar improvements were noted on areas where livestock were “kraaled” at night – as they are on Dimbangombe – for up to a week. In the communities where livestock were “kraaled” on cornfields, maize yields were visibly much higher.
Citation:
Peel, Mike, and Marc Stalmans, 2018. The Effect of Holistic Planned Grazing on African Rangelands: A Case Study from Zimbabwe, African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 35:1, 23-31, DOI: 10.2989/10220119.2018.1440630.
