Pastoralism, which is the chief mainstay for most of the population in the Somali region of the Horn of Africa, has witnessed sweeping changes. These changes are characterized by weakening resilience due to a combination of climate-induced challenges and anthropogenic factors, including overgrazing, deforestation, land-use changes, loss of soil fertility, and proliferation of invasive species.

This article provides a brief overview of rangeland management in Somalia starting from the colonial days until the collapse of the central government in 1991. The period that followed until 2016, which covers the years of self-declared independence of Somaliland up to the re-establishment of Aroori Grazing Reserve (AGR), was characterized by low investment in natural resources including agriculture, forestry, and rangelands and compounded by weak institutions due to the paucity of resources.

I outline the key takeaways from the 2016 restoration of AGR in Somaliland, including the area's value to pastoralists as a fodder reserve for livestock during hard times brought on by prolonged droughts. I also highlight emerging trends in community-led grazing management in the form of “village grazing lots” through joint land-use planning.

Grazing reserves serve as refuges and as tools to maintain indigenous grass biodiversity.