Effect of forage resources (rangeland and cropland) management on livestock production of settled nomads in the Bakkan Region

Identification and measuring the effects of factors on forage resources capacity (FRC) were considered as the objective of this research in Bakkan region as the first nomad's settlement project. Four tribes with financial support of the government settled next to two villages in Bakkan. In nomadic production system (NPS), the FRC measured with system approach in three subsystems of rangeland, crop, and animal production systems. Three groups of factors that had an impact on energy flow in NPS were measured and identified. GIS with survey and deep interviews with the heads of the nomads groups and help of some current models were applied to show the measured and integrated factors in these groups. The results indicated that 151,151 and 87,274 animal units (AU) are the FRC in 2001 in Bakkan region during wet and drought years, respectively. The rangelands in Bakkan only produced 31.7% and 15.1% of FRC during wet and drought years respectively and the rest from croplands. The results based on proper use of factors showed that 6.2% of the rangelands are under good condition, 47.9% under fair and the rest (45.6%) are in poor and very poor condition. The trend of 50% of the rangeland is positive, but with steep slope, far from drinking water areas and the rest is negative. Nomads have to be familiar with the elements which have impact on FRC to estimate animal numbers equal to FRC in a sustainable management on rangeland and crop production.