IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v16y2014i5p1097-1117.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transhumant pastoralism, sustainable management of natural resources and endemic ruminant livestock in the sub-humid zone of West Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Augustine Ayantunde
  • Rainer Asse
  • Mohammed Said
  • Abdou Fall

Abstract

Transhumant pastoralism is one of the dominant livestock production systems in West Africa, and it is characterized by seasonal and cyclical movement of varying degrees between complementary ecological areas. The common pattern of transhumance is moving herds from areas with pasture and water scarcity such as the Sahelian zone to areas where the forage and water are found, often in the sub-humid zone. Whereas the transhumant herds from the Sahel are mainly Zebu breeds, endemic ruminant livestock (ERL) are the dominant breeds in sub-humid zone of West Africa because of their tolerance to tsetse-borne trypanosomosis disease. These livestock fulfill different functions in the livelihood of rural communities in the region. To identify potential areas of interventions for sustainable natural resource management to improve ERL productivity, a desk study that included spatial mapping was performed to review and document the existing knowledge on transhumance in West Africa. Additionally, group discussions were held to analyze the (actual or potential) effects of transhumant herds on natural resource management and ERL in the sub-humid zone. This study covered sub-humid zone in The Gambia, Guinea, Mali and Senegal. The key question we addressed in this study was as follows: What are the key trends and changes in transhumant pastoralism and how do these impact sustainable management of natural resources including endemic livestock? The results of the desk study and group discussions showed that there have been more southerly movements by transhumant pastoralists into the sub-humid zone over the past three decades and this has contributed to growing competition for grazing resources. The presence of transhumant herds in the sub-humid zone has a potential impact on management and conservation of ERL through crossbreeding with transhumant Zebu breeds from the Sahel but only study sites in Mali showed a high risk. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Augustine Ayantunde & Rainer Asse & Mohammed Said & Abdou Fall, 2014. "Transhumant pastoralism, sustainable management of natural resources and endemic ruminant livestock in the sub-humid zone of West Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1097-1117, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:16:y:2014:i:5:p:1097-1117
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-014-9515-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10668-014-9515-z
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-014-9515-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. L. Zaibet & S. Traore & A. Ayantunde & K. Marshall & N. Johnson & M. Siegmund-Schultze, 2011. "Livelihood strategies in endemic livestock production systems in sub-humid zone of West Africa: trends, trade-offs and implications," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 87-105, February.
    2. Matthew Turner, 2000. "Drought, Domestic Budgeting and Wealth Distribution in Sahelian Households," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 31(5), pages 1009-1035, November.
    3. Moritz, Mark, 2008. "Competing Paradigms in Pastoral Development? A Perspective from the Far North of Cameroon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 2243-2254, November.
    4. Mark Moritz & Britney R. Kyle & Kevin C. Nolan & Steve Patrick & Marnie F. Shaffer & Gayatri Thampy, 2009. "Too Many People and Too Few Livestock in West Africa? An Evaluation of Sandford's Thesis," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(7), pages 1113-1133, August.
    5. Thornton, P.K. & van de Steeg, J. & Notenbaert, A. & Herrero, M., 2009. "The impacts of climate change on livestock and livestock systems in developing countries: A review of what we know and what we need to know," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 113-127, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Saifullahi Sani Ibrahim & Huseyin Ozdeser & Behiye Cavusoglu, 2020. "Testing the impact of environmental hazards and violent conflicts on sustainable pastoral development: micro-level evidence from Nigeria," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 4169-4190, June.
    2. Ullah, Ayat & Zeb, Alam & Liu, Jinlong & Mahmood, Nasir & Kächele, Harald, 2021. "Transhumant pastoralist knowledge of infectious diseases and adoption of alternative land use strategies in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan (HKH) region of Pakistan," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    3. Rodrigue Vivien Cao Diogo & Luc Hippolyte Dossa & Sèyi Fridaïus Ulrich Vanvanhossou & Badirou Dine Abdoulaye & Kossi Hélliot Dosseh & Marcel Houinato & Eva Schlecht & Andreas Buerkert, 2021. "Farmers’ and Herders’ Perceptions on Rangeland Management in Two Agroecological Zones of Benin," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    4. James Ellison & Katja Brinkmann & Rodrigue V. Cao Diogo & Andreas Buerkert, 2022. "Land cover transitions and effects of transhumance on available forage biomass of rangelands in Benin," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 12276-12310, October.
    5. Houessou, Sandrine O. & Dossa, Luc Hippolyte & Diogo, Rodrigue V.C. & Houinato, Marcel & Buerkert, Andreas & Schlecht, Eva, 2019. "Change and continuity in traditional cattle farming systems of West African Coast countries: A case study from Benin," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 112-122.
    6. Dilshad Ahmad & Muhammad Afzal, 2022. "Impact of violent conflicts and environmental hazards on pastoral sustainable development in Punjab, Pakistan," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(9), pages 11260-11281, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mark Moritz, 2010. "Crop–livestock interactions in agricultural and pastoral systems in West Africa," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 27(2), pages 119-128, June.
    2. M. Melissa Rojas-Downing & A. Pouyan Nejadhashemi & Mohammad Abouali & Fariborz Daneshvar & Sabah Anwer Dawood Al Masraf & Matthew R. Herman & Timothy Harrigan & Zhen Zhang, 2018. "Pasture diversification to combat climate change impacts on grazing dairy production," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 405-431, March.
    3. Lenyeletse V. Basupi & Claire H. Quinn & Andrew J. Dougill, 2017. "Pastoralism and Land Tenure Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Conflicting Policies and Priorities in Ngamiland, Botswana," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Shikuku, Kelvin M. & Valdivia, Roberto O. & Paul, Birthe K. & Mwongera, Caroline & Winowiecki, Leigh & Läderach, Peter & Herrero, Mario & Silvestri, Silvia, 2017. "Prioritizing climate-smart livestock technologies in rural Tanzania: A minimum data approach," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 204-216.
    5. Little, Peter D. & McPeak, John G., 2014. "Resilience and pastoralism in Africa South of the Sahara:," IFPRI book chapters, in: Fan, Shenggen & Pandya-Lorch, Rajul & Yosef, Sivan (ed.), 2013 Global Food Policy Report, chapter 9, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Dilshad Ahmad & Muhammad Afzal, 2021. "Impact of climate change on pastoralists’ resilience and sustainable mitigation in Punjab, Pakistan," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 11406-11426, August.
    7. Jiangjun Wan & Xueqian Song & Yi Su & Li Peng & Shanta Paudel Khatiwada & Yawen Zhou & Wei Deng, 2019. "Water Resource Utilization and Livelihood Adaptations under the Background of Climate Change: A Case Study of Rural Households in the Koshi River Basin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-15, September.
    8. Wassie Berhanu & Fekadu Beyene, 2015. "Climate Variability and Household Adaptation Strategies in Southern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-23, May.
    9. Naveen P. Singh & Bhawna Anand & S. K. Srivastava & N. R. Kumar & Shirish Sharma & S. K. Bal & K. V. Rao & M. Prabhakar, 2022. "Risk, perception and adaptation to climate change: evidence from arid region, India," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 112(2), pages 1015-1037, June.
    10. Sèyi Fridaïus Ulrich Vanvanhossou & Luc Hippolyte Dossa & Sven König, 2021. "Sustainable Management of Animal Genetic Resources to Improve Low-Input Livestock Production: Insights into Local Beninese Cattle Populations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, September.
    11. Headey, Derek & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum & You, Liangzhi, 2014. "Diversification and Development in Pastoralist Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 200-213.
    12. Jean-François Maystadt & Margherita Calderone & Liangzhi You, 2015. "Local warming and violent conflict in North and South Sudan," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 649-671.
    13. Iglesias, Eva & Báez, Karen & Diaz-Ambrona, Carlos H., 2016. "Assessing drought risk in Mediterranean Dehesa grazing lands," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 65-74.
    14. Jinglun Peng & Moonju Kim & Kyungil Sung, 2020. "Yield Prediction Modeling for Sorghum–Sudangrass Hybrid Based on Climatic, Soil, and Cultivar Data in the Republic of Korea," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-11, April.
    15. William R. Sutton & Jitendra P. Srivastava & James E. Neumann & Peter Droogers & Brent B. Boehlert, 2013. "Reducing the Vulnerability of Uzbekistan's Agricultural Systems to Climate Change : Impact Assessment and Adaptation Options," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16200, December.
    16. Pengfei Liu & Lingling Hou & Dongqing Li & Shi Min & Yueying Mu, 2021. "Determinants of Livestock Insurance Demand: Experimental Evidence from Chinese Herders," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(2), pages 430-451, June.
    17. Berhe, Melaku & Hoag, Dana & Tesfay, Girmay & Oniki, Shunji & Kagatsume, Masaru, 2016. "Effects of adaptation to climate change on income of cattle owners in the pastoral and agro-pastoral communities of Northern Ethiopia," 2016 Fifth International Conference, September 23-26, 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 246974, African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE).
    18. Lenis Saweda O. Liverpool-Tasie & Awa Sanou & Justice A. Tambo, 2019. "Climate change adaptation among poultry farmers: evidence from Nigeria," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 527-544, December.
    19. Hertel, Thomas W. & Lobell, David B., 2014. "Agricultural adaptation to climate change in rich and poor countries: Current modeling practice and potential for empirical contributions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 562-575.
    20. Mulwa, Chalmers K. & Visser, Martine, 2020. "Farm diversification as an adaptation strategy to climatic shocks and implications for food security in northern Namibia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:16:y:2014:i:5:p:1097-1117. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.