How do pastoral families combine livestock herds with other livelihood security means to survive? The case of the Ferlo area in Senegal

Abstract

Reducing vulnerability to hazards is a major challenge for pastoral settlements in the dry lands of sub-Saharan Africa. Accumulation of a stock of living animals is a major means of livelihood security that pastoralists use to cope with their constraints, amongst which is high environmental variability. Diversification and long-distance mobility are other means of livelihood security, implying specific family organization. We analysed the combination of these means in ensuring the livelihood security of 508 familial settlements in the rural community of Ferlo, Tessekre (Senegal). At least 40% of the settlements surveyed were small pastoral families, composed of one or two households with small herds (less than 50 cows and 50 sheep). Herds were the major means of livelihood security, but due to lack of a sufficient labour and other assets, the situation of these impoverished families was very precarious. In 28% of the settlements, families combined livestock, crops and non-farming activities as livelihood means. The remaining 32% of the settlements were pastoral settlements supported by large cattle herds and, in many cases, the production of Aïd el Kebir rams (for the major Muslim religious event). Non-farming activities were also present in these settlements with large herds, especially activities in the livestock trade. Diversification can reinforce the function of herds as savings accounts and might also enable the pastoralists to invest in livestock activities. There were three groups of settlements based on the characterization of livelihood security strategies used by pastoral herders. Over time, pastoralists have to utilize several means of security to cope with climatic shocks such as droughts, and familial events such as the death of the familial chief. Family organization (dispersal or grouping), diversification and mobility are important means used to recover after major losses of animals.

Renforcer les capacités d’adaptation des systèmes d’élevage de ruminants: Cadres théoriques, leviers d’action et démarche d’accompagnement

“…Au niveau du troupeau, par exemple, un rendement modéré des vaches laitières peut limiter les problèmes de santé (Ingrand et al, 2017). Ceci peut concerner la constitution des stocks animaux peu productifs mais résistant aux aléas (comme le troupeau bovin des Peuls dans le Ferlo Sénégalais couplé à un troupeau de petits ruminants plus labile mais aussi plus fragile - Manoli et al, 2014) et l'élevage de races rustiques (peu productives mais capables de mobilité et de mobilisation / reconstitution de leurs réserves corporelles en cas de disette) (Nozières et al, 2011). Au niveau des surfaces, un chargement à l'hectare en deçà du potentiel productif des surfaces permet de faire face aux sécheresses sans modifier le système (Astigarraga et Ingrand, 2011).…”

“…À l'échelle du troupeau, une diversité de fonctions des activités d'élevage peut être combinée au sein de l'exploitation. Par exemple, un troupeau peut avoir fonction de stock et un autre une fonction productive (comme les troupeaux bovins et ovins pour la Tabaski, Manoli et al, 2014). Un troupeau à fonction productive (le troupeau laitier) peut être associé à un troupeau secondaire « ramasse miette » valorisant des parcours impropres aux vaches laitières et des refus des vaches dans les systèmes traditionnels de montagne de Margeride (Dedieu et al, 1992).…”

“…Ces réseaux sont tour à tour : i) des réseaux de solidarité active qu'il faut pouvoir entretenir via des dons, des alliances (mariages par exemple) ou des confiages. En élevage Peuhl du Ferlo sénégalais, les confiages d'animaux sont extrêmement fréquents et croisés, d'une famille à une autre (Manoli et al, 2014). Ce capital social est mobilisé en cas de coups durs ou pour reconstituer un troupeau après une période de crise extrême.…”

Rangeland Systems in Developing Nations: Conceptual Advances and Societal Implications

“…The shift in livestock ownership away from livestock specialists, as well as the expansion of the urban markets, has led to a reorientation of marketing toward the sales of small ruminants (especially sheep) for meat; this particularly occurs on Islamic holidays (Manoli et al 2014). For these markets, there is evidence for the stratification of livestock production with the raising of small ruminants in the more arid north with subsequent fattening to the south and in peri-urban areas (Amanor 1995).…”

Villagization and access to water resources in the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia: implications for climate change adaptation

“…Therefore, the literature indicates a mutually-reinforcing relationship between these processes, whereby the effects of environmental and human change enhance forms of social, economic and political marginalization, which in turn further exacerbate the vulnerability of pastoral livelihoods to environmental change. Some studies indicate the contribution to the decline of the practice of traditional subsistence pastoralism in sub-Saharan Africa (Manoli et al, 2014;Mortimore, 2010). The need for urgent and effective development initiatives that support the resilience of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities, in particular vis-àvis their ability to adapt to climate change, has thus emerged as an important policy objective.…”