Ecological Sustainability: Miombo Woodland Conservation with Livestock Production in Sub-Saharan Africa

Miombo woodlands cover approximately 3.6 million km(2) in sub-Saharan Africa and have been identified as one of the global priority areas for conservation. Nonetheless, it is debatable whether the presence of the pastoralists and livestock in Miombo woodlands is linked to the ecological degradation and resources use conflicts. Besides, the impact of Miombo woodlands utilization in relation to biodiversity and ecosystem service provision is not well understood. The current review describes the various concurrent issues underlying livestock production in Miombo woodlands and ecosystem resilience. Analytical review established that livestock in Miombo woodlands have a crucial role in enhancing food security and animal source protein requirement in the future. Ecologically, pastoralists' presence in the Miombo serves biodiversity conservation, enhances nutrient recycling, and regulates wildfires. On the other hand, pastoralists are faced with several challenges including pests and diseases and persistent drought that leads to scarcity of water and pasture resources. Other setbacks include high enteric methane emission due to poor livestock productivity, unsustainable rangeland management practices, land tenure, and poor water management. Observations of wildlife interactions with the natural ecosystem elsewhere provide crucial evidence for the potential of livestock-woodland beneficial symbiotic interaction. It is concluded that, since there is high ecological compatibility of livestock production in Miombo woodlands, there is need to reform management policy to promote livestock interaction on the Miombo woodlands.