Pastoralism and Socio-technological Transformations in Northern Benin: Fulani Innovations in Pastoral Migration, Livelihood Diversification and Professional Association (original) (raw)
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'Lands of the Future - Transforming pastoral lands...' (2014)
Pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in eastern Africa and elsewhere on the continent have long been regarded as peripheries, especially in economic terms, but also in terms of social and cultural accomplishments. Although biased perceptions of the 'unproductive' uses of pastoralism have become outdated, government policies still do little to formally recognise or integrate pastoral lands as critical parts of rural livelihood systems and economic development models. Instead, many states give preference to large-scale agricultural investments in pastoral areas, resulting in the loss or fragmentation of rangelands, induced sedentarisation of pastoralists, and a radical reduction in livestock numbers. The Lands of the Future Research Network supports the view that alienation of pastoralists from productive lands often is unwarranted, unproductive, and unadvisable. In such cases it would be better for the overall economy and society to leave things as they are, or, if 'development' comes in, to discuss the development potential of pastoralism. In other cases of integrated economies, combining old and new forms ('mixed agriculture' on a societal scale) might offer advantages to all groups of participants as well as the national economy. Drawing on research from Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania our paper looks at the significance of pastoralism as a productive economy and the positive bearing it has on the environment, wildlife conservation, and on the health and well-being of pastoral communities. The paper also reflects on what is at stake when one form of land use is replaced by another and when customary rules and practices regarding land access, land use, and traditional law are not fully recognised by policy makers.
A Fulani without cattle is like a woman without jewellery: a study of pastoralists in Ferlo, Senegal
2002
This thesis concerns dynamics of contemporary pastoralism in Ferlo, Senegal. Recent research sug-gests mobility to be one of the most important principles of pastoralism. However, it cannot be under-stood on its own; therefore, pastoral mobility is studied in the broader context of livelihood strategies. At the methodological level, the aim is to develop methods for collecting and understanding data on pastoral mobility. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter, a chapter called ‘research setting’, five individual papers, and a concluding chapter. While the papers can be read individually, the intro-ductory chapters, and the conclusion concern the thesis ‘as a whole’. As there has been a change of philosophical stance during the research process, these chapters are important for providing a frame-work for the thesis and for understanding the choices made. First, implications of the ‘new rangeland paradigm’ are discussed with special emphasis on implica-tions for understanding pastoral mobility in Paper A. Pastoral mobility provides flexible utilisation of variable natural resources and can mitigate the effects of unforeseen events such as bush fires. This point has been advocated in the past, mainly by anthropologists, but with the new paradigm a coherent theory exists in which pastoral mobility as a flexible strategy can be understood. The argument is illustrated by an example from Ferlo, which shows how a development project hampered pastoral mobility. Further, it is shown how pastoralists themselves use mobility for balancing variability in natural resources. The methodology applied for the rest of the papers is outlined in Paper B. The paper argues for a new conceptualisation of the use of rural areas, namely through the study of the relation between practice and values of individual actors. This conceptualisation emphasises a combination of methods analys-ing both quantitative and qualitative data with due consideration to the philosophical stance. The ben-efit of analysing both practice and values is shown in two examples. It is concluded that studies of practice and values of individual actors can contribute to our understanding of the use of rural areas in both developed and developing countries and hence revitalise agricultural geography. Paper C has a dual objective; first to investigate the methodological potential of using GPS; second to discuss the analytical use of GPS data for understanding mobility. It is shown that the methodological potential for using GPS is related to quantifying mobility and characterising the mobility patterns. The paper concludes that from an analytical point of view, the GPS data can be used in combination with qualitative information to make triangulation. Qualitative information is a valuable help for interpret-ing GPS data. The GPS data can be used prior to qualitative interviews to make informed questions about mobility and they can be used after qualitative investigations to illustrate points made or show inconsistencies. The widespread notion of Sahelian pastoralists as destitute and powerless is challenged in Paper D. It is shown how a diversity of pastoral livelihood strategies exists in Ferlo. Depending on the possibili-ties and preferences of a household, a certain strategy, or combination of strategies, is chosen and this may change from one year to another. Four ideal types of pastoral livelihood strategies are developed: ‘the traditional pastoralist’, ‘the Tabaski pastoralist’, ‘the commercial pastoralist’, and ‘the non-herding pastoralist’. These illustrate that pastoralists in Ferlo have managed to make the most of mar-ket opportunities while maintaining their ‘pastoral way of life’. Issues such as identity, ethnicity, and religion are important for the pastoral way of life and affect the different livelihood strategies. Finally paper E provides a more complex understanding of pastoral mobility than the one offered by the new rangeland paradigm. It is argued that mobility should be analysed in the context of livelihood strategies and that attention should be paid to pastoralists’ perceptions of mobility. On the basis of the field studies from Senegal, analytical entry points for discussing mobility in a broader context are outlined. These entry points are used as inspiration for developing the so-called ‘mobility complex’.
New Avenues for Pastoral Development in sub-Saharan Africa
2010
African pastoralism is a perplexing, controversial and misunderstood subject. Certainly, making sense of herders' lifestyles and livelihoods is made especially difficult -if not impossible -by the marked absence of consensus between scholars of pastoralism. Sharp disagreements exist as to whether pastoralism in sub-Saharan Africa is on the verge of extinction, or whether it is a resilient livelihood strategy. Similarly, authors diverge on the question of whether drought cycles have become increasingly recurrent and lifethreatening, or whether they are part of the climatic variability that has always characterized arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Finally, different viewpoints exist concerning whether or not it is possible to maintain extensive production strategies and the mobility of herds and people in increasingly populous and circumscribed territories. Although a number of research fields and academic debates with regard to 'new range ecology', climate change, risk management or sustainable livelihoods have produced important insights for African drylands, there have been few attempts to conceptualize pastoral development more broadly and beyond disciplinary confines. This is precisely the objective of this special issue, which seeks to provide an overview of current research on the economic, ecological, political and social challenges and opportunities of pastoral societies in sub-Saharan Africa.
Lands of the future: transforming pastoral lands and livelihoods in eastern Africa
2014
Pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in eastern Africa and elsewhere on the continent have long been regarded as peripheries, especially in economic terms, but also in terms of social and cultural accomplishments. Although biased perceptions of the 'unproductive' uses of pastoralism have become outdated, government policies still do little to formally recognise or integrate pastoral lands as critical parts of rural livelihood systems and economic development models. Instead, many states give preference to large-scale agricultural investments in pastoral areas, resulting in the loss or fragmentation of rangelands, induced sedentarisation of pastoralists, and a radical reduction in livestock numbers. The Lands of the Future Research Network supports the view that alienation of pastoralists from productive lands often is unwarranted, unproductive, and unadvisable. In such cases it would be better for the overall economy and society to leave things as they are, or, if 'developme...
Pastoralism and Development: Fifty Years of Dynamic Change
IDS Bulletin, 2020
This archive IDS Bulletin reflects on 50 years of research on pastoralism at IDS. Thirteen articles are introduced around six themes that have characterised IDS-linked research over this period. These are: pastoral livelihoods; institutions and common property resource management; climate change and ecological dynamics; food security, early warning, and livelihood vulnerability; pastoral marketing; and conflict and governance. Across these themes, IDS research has challenged mainstream development thinking and practice, highlighting the importance of mobility and living with uncertainty. This introductory article concludes with some reflections on research gaps and new challenges, including: the effects of climate change; new forms of pastoral mobility and livelihood; increasing pattern of commoditisation and social differentiation; and changing conflict dynamics. Although massively changed over 50 years, and despite repeated proclamations of crisis and collapse, pastoralism remains...
2011
Introduction Pastoralist areas of the Horn of Africa are experiencing rapid change. Markets are opening up, helping to improve livelihoods and generate substantial new wealth for local and national economies. Political and constitutional changes are creating opportunities for pastoralists to influence decision-making around the allocation of public resources as well as laws and practices affecting their rights. New technologies such as mobile phones as well as improvements in roads are opening up pastoral areas to greater movements of people, goods, and ideas. And new ways of delivering services to mobile and remote pastoralist populations have improved their access to healthcare, veterinary services and education. Despite these opportunities, pastoralist livelihoods remain highly insecure. Many struggle to cope with routine drought let alone extreme events and widening restrictions on access to key resources. In spite of positive developments in some parts of the region, the benefi...
Lands of the Future: transforming pastoral lands and livelihoods in eastern Africa1
Pastoralists throughout the world are facing times of turbulent transition. In the past decade, global economic trends have increasingly become investment reality in pastoralists’ territories. Changing land use patterns and disturbances to the environment and livelihoods of pastoralists are obvious in areas like eastern Africa, which is home to one of the largest concentrations of (nomadic, transhumant, and agro-) pastoralists in the world.