Poverty, socioeconomic marginalization, and resource degradation has been unique features ofrnpastoralists in Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASAL) in general and in Ethiopia in particular. Thisrndissertation assessed pastoralist understanding of poverty from multiple perspectives, rangelandrndegradation based on the Gadaa1rntimeline and investigated livelihoods of pastoralist in Booranarnrangeland system. The study argued that understanding pastoralist poverty and livelihoods, andrnconstructions of pastoralist knowledge on rangeland degradation and its impacts could make crucialrnscientific contributions.rnThe study relied on the Vicious Circle Model (VCM) to understand the relationships between povertyrnand rangeland degradation. The study was based on mixed method approaches. Both qualitative andrnquantitative methods were used in the data collection and analysis. Large amounts of primary datarnwere obtained from pastoral community by household questionnaire survey, semi-structuredrninterviews and focus group discussions. Observation was also another tools used to document the arearnin its physical settings. To analyze the data the study adopted Sustainable Livelihood Frameworkrn(SLF), and Alkire and Foster method of multidimensional poverty analysis. Quantitative data werernanalyzed by various descriptive statistics and systematic summarizations of survey data. In addition,rnthe study also employed econometric models like Logit and Multivariate Probit model (MVP) inrnquantitative data analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed by descriptions of responses, narrations ofrncases and systematic summarizations of qualitative responses.rnThe results showed that pastoralists perceive poverty as lack of livestock, low health, and lack ofrnmoney, education, and jobs. Poverty is caused by climate change and variability, deteriorations ofrnpasture and water, lack of education, and over utilization of resources. The result showed that,rndiversification of income sources, crop cultivation, improvements of pastoral education, destocking,rnand returning to forefathersâ€Ÿ cultural practices could help in surviving poverty. Using Alkire andrnFoster method the result showed that 87.3% of Boorana pastoralist households werernmultidimensionally poor with 62.1% of intensity of poverty. Multidimensional poverty index (MPI)rnfor Boorana pastoralist was high (54.2%). Majority of Boorana pastoralist households were deprivedrnin cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, ownership of durable assets, housing, child schoolrnattendance and years of schooling. Deprivation in education was the largest contributor to MPIrnfollowed by standard of living and health dimension. The result of logit model indicated thatrnmultidimensional poverty was positively associated with household head gender and age, and size of cultivated land. In contrast, it is negatively associated with highest education level of householdrnmember, sanitation, home to center distance and production per hectare of land among others.rnThe study found that currently the potential of Boorana rangelands has been decreasing over time andrndegradation showed increasing trends. The progressive degradation of rangeland resources hasrnjeopardized rangeland production, livestock productivity and human wellbeing in Boorana rangelandrnsystem. Rangeland degradation has put pastoral livelihoods into risks and increased the vulnerabilityrnof pastoralist. Given high vulnerability of pastoralist, it is elucidated that the main livelihood assets ofrnpastoralist are under threat. However, pastoralists manage risks by engaging into diverse set ofrnincome generating portfolios. Though pastoralism is still the dominant way of living people are nowrnengaging in a diverse range and combination of activities to reduce vulnerability. Beside pastoralismrnrespondents prefers to go for intensive rain-fed farming and non-farm activities, labour works,rndiversifications, mobility and hired herder as ways of living. Multivariate probit model result revealedrnthat the decisions of household to simultaneous choose different livelihood strategies are determinedrnby various socioeconomic characteristics of households.rnThe study concluded that given current status quo of widespread poverty, increased rangelandrndegradation and pastoral livelihood crisis, sustainable pastoral production would be highly impaired.rnHowever, current research is optimistic that poverty can be reduced and pastoral livelihood would bernimproved. To reduce pastoral poverty, improve pastoralist livelihoods, and sustainably manage andrnutilize rangeland resources there should be enabling institutional, policy and legal frameworks. Thus,rnto reduce pastoral poverty recognitions of environmental, socioeconomic and political dynamics inrnpastoral areas and inclusion of pastoralist issues into national and international agendas is veryrnimportant. Further, the study also suggested that improvement of pastoralist access to education andrnstandard of living through improving pastoralist access to electricity, clean water and health facilitiesrnshould be priority for policy to reduce multidimensional poverty. In addition, sustainable managementrnof rangeland resources also requires understanding, recognition and promotion of Boorana pastoralistrnknowledge of rangeland ecology, incorporation of indigenous and ecological techniques in rangelandrnmanagements and restorations, and prohibitions of privatization and maintaining of community basedrnzonation and mapping of traditional land use types. The study also suggested that achievingrnsustainable pastoral livelihood requires policy options and interventions that can improve and supportrnpastoralist ways of life and built on what constitute the dynamics of pastoral livelihoods in arid andrnsemi-arid environments.