Cultural practices also contribute to the herd’s diversity. For example,
a husband is required by custom to give a dowry to the woman’s family that includes a good milk producer. Similarly, when a young woman
moves to her husband’s home, she takes her animals to add to his. Over
time this strengthens not only the herd but also the bond between the
two families.
Environmental knowledge:
Outsiders cannot live in the region the same way we do because they
lack the knowledge of how to live within this environment. We are able
to guide our livestock over long distances to provide grazing, water and
salting resources for them. Without this understanding of Samburu and
its surrounding districts, our lives would not be tenable.
The Samburu
Community
Protocol about
the Samburu
Indigenous
Livestock Breeds
and their
Rights to their
Indigenous
Livestock Genetic
Resources and
Role in Global
Biodiversity
Management
Our ethno-veterinary knowledge keeps our livestock healthy, our breeding
practices promote a strong herd consisting of selected livestock populations and our environmental knowledge underwrites our animals’ survival
in these harsh climatic conditions. We provide for our animals welfare,
just as they provide for our livelihoods. Our relationship, therefore, is not
one of provider and user, but of mutual-dependence and support.
Sharing traditional knowledge:
While the knowledge we have is widespread throughout our community, we assert that as creators of this knowledge, and whilst we share
this knowledge among ourselves freely, we have a right to be consulted
before it is used by any outsiders and respect should be accorded to our
traditional laws regarding this use of this knowledge.
RIGHT OF PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT ACCORDING TO
CUSTOMARY LAWS
In the past, we have worked with researchers and did not question governmental initiatives in our areas. Yet we have often never heard from
the researchers after they leave, and have recently found that state-led
breeding programs have in fact increased our climate vulnerability. This
protocol affirms our right to have our prior informed consent sought before the implementation of any activities on our land.
Elders make all the decisions in our communities. Decision is made at
the village level, clan level and district level depending on the scale of
the issue or the types of resources involved. For example, decisions about
areas to be used for grazing are taken by elders of the villages that share
the grazing areas. This means that decisions relating to a common resource such as the Red Maasai Sheep would be taken by elders from the
different clans across the region. According to this principle of customary
law, we must first be consulted before any activities that will impact us,
such as research undertaken on our breeds; new breeding programs; use
of our lands; and access and use of our traditional knowledge.
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