The Specific Objectives are enunciated without explanation.

COMMENTARY

1. Completing the chain of specific objectives. Specific Objective (e) concludes the chain of specific objectives that follow on from the statement of the new approach in Specific Objective (a), that is centering pastoral development on pastoralism. Specific Objective (e) is to be read in this light. Thus, ‘narrowing down the gap with neighbouring areas with regard to capability and development indicators’ is a process to be undertaken ‘in a holistic manner by taking [the pastoralist] livelihood system as the basis’ (Specific Objective ‘a’). Failing to do so would lead to the lack of coherence and coordination of efforts targeted in Specific Objective (d), and it would replicate the lack of coherence and coordination inherited in existing sectoral policies and strategies targeted for revision in Specific Objective (c).
2. A need to revise ‘capability and development indicators’. Conventional capability and development indicators are inevitably part of the legacy of sectoral policies and strategies that Specific Objective (b) intends to revise in light of the new approach stated in Specific Objective (a) — that is, in light of an approach to pastoral development that is finally centered on pastoralism. Existing conventional indicators were developed before the approach to pastoral development centered on pastoralism being introduced by this new policy. Existing indicators were developed from the perspective of non-pastoral livelihood systems, namely sedentary farming contexts and urban contexts, and were therefore aimed at capturing what matters there. And that is why Specific Objective (b) calls for their revision ‘in light of the livelihood basis and ecology of pastoralists’, a revision that can be expected to change the understanding of the ‘gaps in capability and development’ in relation to neighboring areas mentioned in Specific Objective (e).

Specific Objective (e), as understood in light of the previous specific objectives, is contradicted by the policy Pillars.

BASIC PILLARS »