Nomadism dominates Somali livelihood because the environment is harsh and arid

Evidence

Although the proportion of people who practise some form of cultivation is higher, probably not much more than an eighth of the total Somali population are sedentary cultivators, and these mainly the southern Digil and Rahanweyn tribes. Thus for the majority, in the arid conditions of the north, centre, and extreme south (Northern Kenya) of their country, nomadism is the prevailing economic response, and mode of livelihood and social institutions in general are tightly adjusted to the scant resources of an unenviably harsh environment. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 62

Categorization

• XREF: Links ecology to social structure, an environmental-determinism thread that will animate the pastoralist politics of later chapters. — connects to: Harsh climate forces Somali pastoral nomads to move constantly for water and pasture — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 49; Somali pastoralists began adopting cultivation only within the past few generations — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 70; Somali pastoral society governs democratically without hierarchical chiefs

Related

• Harsh climate forces Somali pastoral nomads to move constantly for water and pasture (similarity 0.90)
• Somali pastoralists began adopting cultivation only within the past few generations (similarity 0.86)
• Somali nomads sought salaried work while cultivators shunned it (similarity 0.81)
• Nomads showed eagerness for salaried work despite despising cultivation. (similarity 0.81)
• Somali pastoral society governs democratically without hierarchical chiefs (similarity 0.80)
• Somali nomads sought wage labour while riverine farmers avoided it (similarity 0.79)
• Arid-zone ecology impels inhabitants toward specific social forms (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Somali pastoralists began adopting cultivation only within the past few generations #qualifies (0.40) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 70
• Somali pastoral society governs democratically without hierarchical chiefs #expands (0.30)