Kraaling as a rangeland management& restoration tool
WHAT IS KRAALING?
Kraaling (using corrals or bomas) is a management practice often used incommunal rangelands by farmers to enclose their livestock for a fixed period.
Kraals are typically made of either natural material, fencing or synthetic mobilesheeting. Kraals in rangelands can be distinguished by two types:

MOBILE KRAAL• A temporary enclosure that can beeasily moved between areas.

• Used for short-term confinement,
generally overnight for at least sevendays.
• Used for rotational grazing and toprotect specific areas fromovergrazing.
• Used during breeding.

© Anna Haw

PERMANENT KRAAL• A fixed enclosure often situated near
the homesteads in local• communities.
A fixed enclosure often situatednear the homesteads
in local• Designed
to remain in place
forcommunities.
extensive
periods.
Designed
to remainin place andfor•• Usedfor grazing
management
breeding.
extensive periods.
• Used for grazing management
and breeding© Anna Haw

Rangeland degradation
The land area in South Africa that is covered by rangelands, whichsupport the livelihoods of local communities. However, rangelands are% often degraded due to livestock mismanagement, soil erosion and climatechange.

7087%

Proportion of South Africa’s soil carbon that is stored in rangelands(grasslands, savanna, karoo shrubland). Soil degradation and erosion
reduces carbon storage, further contributing to climate change. It iscrucial that we rehabilitate rangelands to a desired state to maintain life.

WHY DO WE KRAAL?
Livestock management and protection
Livestock and wildlife are able to co-exist withminimal conflict or spread of diseaseSoil Fertility
Content of soil carbon and nutrients (nitrogen,phosphorus, potassium) is increased in both
crop and natural areas

Restoration
Can help manage overgrazing, increase plant
cover (erosion gullies; post clearing of alienplants). If given supplements, livestock will
even eat invasive plants that are re-growing.

HOW IT WORKS•••

Livestock forage in the surrounding
landscape, deposit dung (withnutrients and seeds) and urine,
which get trampled into the soil.
These digestive and physicalprocesses make organic matter
more bioavailable in the soil.
Plant growth is increased in patches
where kraals were, providing
nutritious forage for livestock.

HOW IS KRAALING BENEFICIAL?
Strategic, short duration kraaling of livestock can be used as a useful
tool for land restoration of communal rangelands. This is especiallytrue where soil is bare of plant cover, invasive plants are re-sprouting(natural lands), or where soil lacks nutrients (croplands). However,kraaling must be carefully managed to avoid over-trampling orenriching the soil beyond the desirable range.

HOW TO KRAAL RESPONSIBLY
HOW TO KRAAL RESPONSIBLY
To avoid causing unintended negative impacts on theenvironment, it is recommended that livestock farmers:

1

Stock animals at therecommended stocking rate
for the area.

2

Kraal animals first on
degraded bare areas vs areas
in good condition.

3

Consider the welfare ofanimals.

4

Kraal animals for shortperiods (overnight for afew days).

5

Regularly move animals inrestoration areas.

6

Monitor effects of kraalingon soil and vegetation andmanage accordingly.

© Conservation International

Example of traditional permanent kraals (a) and mobile short-duration kraals in Mozambique within
the Herding 4 Health Model (b). The inset in (b) shows an active kraal (left) next to an abandoned
one (right), both of which have darker soil surfaces compared to the surrounding landscape,indicating the presence of organic material.

Sources:
Hawkins H-J, Mgwali N, Vetter S. 2022. Effects of short-duration kraaling depend on initial conditions in a mesic grassland. African Journal ofRange & Forage Science 2022, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2021.2012716
Momberg M, Haw AJ, Rajah P, van Rooyen J, Hawkins H-J. 2023. Kraals or bomas increase soil carbon and fertility across several biomes. African
Journal of Range & Forage Science 40, 32-46. https://doi.org/10.2989/10220119.2022.2148740
Venter ZA, Hawkins H-J, Cramer MD, Mills AJ. 2021. Mapping soil organic carbon stocks and trends with satellite-driven high-resolution maps overSouth Africa. Science of the Total Environment 771, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2021.145384

For more information: Julia Levin | Vice President | Conservation South Africa
Email: jlevin@conservation.org | Tel: +27 10 100 3492