Dissertation (MA Development Studies)This study aimed at investing the challenges facing Maasai pastoralists towards livestock commoditization in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region. The study specifically intended to examine community awareness towards livestock commoditization in Ngorongoro District, assess the benefits of pastoralists‟ participation in livestock commoditization for improvement of livelihoods and to investigate the challenges that hinder pastoralists in livestock commoditizing. This study is anchored on the fact that there have been numerous efforts done by the government to bring poverty to an end in the community by establishing livestock markets. But challenges have been escalating and are becoming economically and socially chronic. Data for this study were obtained from a representative sample of 94 respondents; including 78 households and 16 key informants. The study used households questionnaires, focused group discussion, interview guide and check list. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 20.0. Quantitative data and qualitative data were analyzed using the context analysis. The findings revealed that, there are existences of challenges in livestock commoditization in the study area. These challenges include pastoral behavior, drought, and lack of financial support, livestock prices, water scarcity, and market infrastructure as well as grazing land. The study further recommends that since the root causes of these challenges is lack of land tenure to smallholder who hold and use there are need of establishing land use plans and financial assistance which could facilitate the market infrastructure to reduce working long distance in search for markets.