Analysis of social structure and indigenous knowledge of Mohammad Soleimani's nomads in Jiroft County

Traditional knowledge is produced in interaction and coordination of local people (villagers, nomads and forest residents) with their environments. Local and native people achieve their traditional knowledge via controlling and fitting themselves with their surrounding environment. In this research, we evaluate the social structure and traditional ecological knowledge of Mohammad Soleimani's nomads Esfandagheh of Jiroft County. Special attentions were paid to evaluate the role of traditional knowledge to improve social and economic conditions of ranchers. A qualitative approach was used based on depth interviews and data collections about rangeland services. The concluding remarks of the interviews indicated that range mangers can determine sequential grazing parcells, manage livestock spatial distribution and herd path and determine the appropriate watering point. They can manage to utilize the rangeland uniformly by night grazing, adjusting rotation and halting grazing period. The results of this study showed that some individuals in a tribe have special role and perform specific tasks. Head of tribe, head of branch, head of ranch, rancher and rancher friend have specific roles in flock management. Their housing materials are made from local materials, such as Kapar, Kawar and black tent. It can be concluded that pastoralist's traditional ecological knowledge plays an important role in land sustainability and can be considered as a basis for development and sustainable livelihoods in the tribal areas.