Pastoralism provides both a living and a way of life to millions of people in Ethiopia. It makes a significant contribution to the national economies both in terms of supporting their own households and in terms of export earnings of live animals and animal products (meat, hides and skins). In spite of their economic contributions, the Ethiopian pastoralists have been subject to political marginalisation. There are increasing trends of pastoral land dispossession in favour of development projects which impoverish pastoral societies, restrict their access to natural resources and limit their mobility. The pastoral mode of life based on mobility is perceived as backward and as needing to be transformed. Government development efforts have tended to focus on sedentarisation of pastoralists in favour of cultivation instead of transhumant nomadism. Policies have tried to implement externally imposed development schemes which most often involved alienation and expropriation of pastoral lands in favour of large scale commercial activities.