ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF NATIVE FORAGE SPECIES IN PASTORAL KARAMOJA SUB-REGION, UGANDA

Abstract

Low input pastoral production systems rely exclusively on natural forage resourcesin space and time. Information on the abundance and diversity of such pastures is vitalin improving livestock production and managing the biodiversity of grazing landscapes. Thisstudy documented grass and browse forage species utilised in pastoral Karamoja, and determinedtheir relative abundance by district, season and grazing land cover. Up to 65 grass and110 browse species were utilised in Karamoja Sub-region. In situ assessments revealed thatChloris, Hyparrhennia, Sporobolus, Pennisetum, Aristida, Cynodon, Eragrostis, Setaria, andPanicum grasses had higher relative abundance. Triumfetta annua, Indigofera erecta, Acaciadrepanolobium, Grewia holstii, Acacia kirkii, Acacia mellifera, Acacia tortolis, Maeruapseudopetalosa, Acacia oerfota, and Ocimmum canum woody species were the most abundant.From the community assessment, Hyparrhennia, Chloris, Panicum, Bracharia, Eragrostis, and Setaria grasses and Acacia mellifera, Cadaba farinose, Acacia oerfota, Acaciadrepanolobium, Caparis tormentosa, Maerua pseudopetalosa and Hisbiscus micrantha woodyplants were identified as the most abundant among the grazing land cover. The grass andbrowse forage species varied by season, location, and land cover type. The study also founddetailed local knowledge of grass and browse forage species in the community. This study hasshown the existence of high diversity among grass and browse forage species with differentiatedrelative abundance across space and time. This, and the detailed communal culturalknowledge, form a basis for the improvement of livestock production as well as biodiversityconservation in Karamoja sub-region.