Pastoralism, a distinct African culture, form of livestock production and nomadic way of life, may vanish forever in its traditional form without urgent action to address the needs of pastoralist peoples in eastern Africa and the Horn. As pastoralists gather this weekend for Kenyan Pastoralist Week, this is the stark message of a new Minority Rights Group report, 'Pastoralism on the Margin', which warns that the essential foundations of this unique and ancient way of life have been all but eroded in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The demise of pastoralism, largely due to competing interests over land and failure to acknowledge and protect pastoralist rights, would be 'a human rights tragedy and a major loss to Africa's and humanity's cultural heritage', stated MRG.