Prioritizing of affecting factors on grazing management using AHP method in nomad’s rangelands at Fars Province

Rangeland degradation, intensive grazing and the weakness of accurate grazing management are considered as issues which have distributed rangeland ecosystems’ equilibrium as well as have made dangerous in pastoralists’ life survival. Therefore, it is important to recognize of affecting factors on grazing management as a primary step for improving and altering this condition into a sustainable state. This study was conducted in Shesh-Boloki clan of Qashqai tribe at Fars and Bushehr provinces in 2016. In the study, data collection was done using literature review and field work (questionnaire and interview). Paired comparison questionnaire (AHP questionnaire) was filled out among 40 knowledgeable beneficiary and 25 experts. Descriptive and nonparametric statistical methods were used for determining and comparing weights and priority of affecting factors on grazing management items based on exploiters and experts’ point of view. The result indicated that there was a significant difference between two points of views in terms of weights and priority of affecting factors on grazing management (p<0.01). Also, in case of many items, the weight difference was dramatically high and in some cases this amount was non-significant. AHP method was used with the aim of integration of exploiters and expert’s points of view. The results also showed that this method, overlapping in two views were 72.4%. Government support through providing forage and water in drought years, being accordance experts and exploiters about migration calendar, preventing of land-use change in upland rangelands, stabilization of nomads’ roads and registration of land rights for nomads to migrate are considered as executive recommendations of this study with the aim of organizing the early migration to upland rangelands and improving grazing management.