Fallon, Leland E.2021-11-262021-11-261962Fallon, Leland E.. (1962) Masai Range Resourceshttp://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/16509Available in Print form, East Africana Collection, Dr Wilbert Chagula Library, ( EAF FOS F36)The Kajiado District covers an area of over 5 million acres in the Southern Province of Kenya adjacent to the Tanganyika border o f the estimated 80,000 Masai living in Kenya, exclusive of the closely related Samburu and Njemps, approximately 38,000 live in the Kajiado District while the remainder live in the adjoining Narok District. In addition to the Kenya Masai approxi-mately 40,000 members of the tribe inhabit the adjoining portion of Tanganyika. The Masai are a proud, friendly people of Nilo-Hamitic stock-noted for their courage. Scornful of agricultural work of any kind, they have for generations depended on a cattle economy. The position of the Masai in Kenya is unique. They are The only tribe whose land was established by special treaty with Great Britain. The Kajiado District is low and mostly dry, rising from a low of 1976 feet in the Rift Valley to a high of over ft, 300 feet in the Namanga Hills. The rainfall approaches 10 inches in the drier portions and 20 to inches elsewhere. The production of range forage for conversion into live¬stock and game products is the present basis of the economy. Little of the land can be classified as being high potential or having commercial forest values. The only known mineral wealth, soda ash, is located at Magadi and supports the district's major industry, the Imperial. Chemical Industries’ Magadi soda plant., with a gross production in 1961 of approximately £1,760,000. Magadi is on alienated Crown Land, therefore the soda plant does not provide a direct source of revenue for the Masai. Game is one of the district's major assets. The world ‘famous Amboseli Game Reserve administered by the Kajiado African District Council is the most noted tourist attraction in the district and during 1961 the foremost producer of revenue for the Council. Deterioration of the range resources has assumed alarmin proportions over much of the district. In 1961 the district was hit hard by both drought and floods. In the words of Mr. Edgar, the District Commissioner: "From being a wealthy tribe, ‘the Kajiado Masai had become (in 1961 a demoralized and poverty stricken people".ennatural resourcespovertydegradationArticle