Transforming pastoralist mobility in West Darfur, Sudan

The report “Transforming pastoralist mobility in West Darfur: understanding continuity and change” (2019, 65pp) by Hussein Sulieman and Helen Young (Tufts University) shows how patterns of mobility by pastoralists in this part of Sudan are changing in the face of many challenges, foremost being insecurity. Earlier studies had shown that pastoralist mobility offers significant advantages in drylands by enabling herds to access the best-quality grazing over the course of a year. This study in West Darfur used GPS to track actual herd movements during the hot dry season and the rainy season. It was found that grazing zones are retracting closer to home areas. The report proposes a typology of livestock movements: long-distance mobility, short-distance mobility and a sedentary system of mobility in which the animals graze near the home year-round. It describes how herders are responding to challenges related to pasture, water and – above all – conflict. Responses to conflict include: keeping small herds within the village; moving larger herds in bigger groups to support each other; using dogs to guard livestock at night; seeking alternative but longer routes when livestock corridors are blocked; and reducing long-distance movements. Recommendations are given related to the need for a collaborative institutional, policy and programmatic response involving local- and state-level authorities and other stakeholders.

Posted on 14 February 2019 in Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure