Livestock ban and clanism impact on the social and physical landscape of Sool and Sanaag regions in Somaliland

Livestock export is the backbone of livelihood earnings for the inhabitants of the Horn of Africa. This study examines the effect of the Saudi ban of livestock commerce on the physical and social landscape of the Sool and Sanaag regions of Somaliland. It reviews the historical context of the research topic during the pre-colonial era. Against this backdrop, the study will compare the impact of livestock commerce on the land and the people of Sool and Sanaag before and after nearly a decade of the Saudi ban. This study also will account the Harti tribe (Internal Displaced Persons) IDPs from the civil war in Somalia and the impact of their return to their regions of origin. This research will examine the disrupted traditional grazing system as a result of the civil war between 1988 and 1991, due to the privatization of the communal lands. The civil war also caused people mostly from the Harti tribe to move from the Southern region to Sool and Sanaag where they felt safe and secure. The coupling of destitute pastorals and the Harti IDPs accelerated the land degradation in Sool and Sanaag because of their combined involvement in the charcoal trade for livelihood. Finally, the study will gauge the existing policies, rules, and regulations related to livestock and environmental management in Somaliland and make recommendations for stakeholders. The methodology of this research will be based on satellite image analysis, structured interviews with individuals from Sool and Sanaag , participatory mapping, and archival research