Pastoralists riding camels in the desert.

Feed the Future Pastoralism in Africa

Project Team

The Feed the Future Pastoralism in Africa project focuses on developing learning materials for USAID on pastoralism and addressing long-running misunderstandings about pastoralist livelihoods in Africa.

Why do pastoralists move? Why do they keep so many livestock? Why aren’t more animals sold in markets? Why can some pastoralists appear to be “asset rich” and own large herds, but at the same time, be very vulnerable? Why don’t pastoralists shift more towards crop production? Why is there so much conflict in pastoralist areas?

These questions are answered in a “primer” on pastoralism in Africa, followed by six briefing papers. Ultimately, USAID plans to use these documents to support a common understanding of pastoralism across USAID bureaus and missions.

The project was designed and implemented in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development, and ran from 2021 to 2024.

Ced Hesse
International Institute for Environment and Development

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This primer on pastoralism in Africa provides basic information on the core aspects of pastoralism as a livelihood and production system.

Ced Hesse, Andy Catley

• April 2024
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Cette brève introduction au pastoralisme en Afrique donne des informations élémentaires sur les principaux aspects du pastoralisme en tant que moyen d’existence et système de production.

Ced Hesse, Andy Catley

• April 2024
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This briefing describes the key elements and issues associated with conflict in pastoralist areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Simon Richards

• April 2024
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Ce document d’information décrit les éléments clés et les enjeux associés aux conflits dans les zones pastorales d’Afrique subsaharienne.

Simon Richards

• April 2024
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This briefing paper summarizes some of the nuances that exist and the shifts that are occurring within gender dynamics in pastoralist livelihood systems in Africa.

Elizabeth Stites

• April 2024
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Cette note d’information résume certaines des nuances qui existent et les changements qui se produisent actuellement dans la dynamique du genre dans les systèmes de subsistance pastoraux en Afrique.

Elizabeth Stites

• April 2024
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This briefing paper presents African pastoralism as an adaptation to uncertain and changeable climate, as well as some of the main challenges that compromise pastoralists’ inherent adaptive capacity.

Magda Nassef

• April 2024
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Ce document d’information présente le pastoralisme africain en tant qu’adaptation à un climat incertain et changeant, et décrit certains des principaux défis qui compromettent les capacités d’adaptation inhérentes des pasteurs.

Magda Nassef

• April 2024
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This briefing paper analyzes the major pastoralism and land access issues in Africa and complements Pastoralism in Africa: A Primer.

Michael Odhiambo

• April 2024
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Cette note d’information analyse les principales questions relatives au pastoralisme et à l’accès au foncier en Afrique ; elle s’inscrit en complément du document intitulé Le Pastoralisme en Afrique : Brève introduction.

Michael Odhiambo

• April 2024
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This briefing paper provides an overview of pastoralist livestock marketing in Africa. It also explains the marketing behaviors of pastoralists and the economic logic behind their decisions on when, how many, and which types of animals to sell.

Andy Catley

• April 2024
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Ce document d’information présente une vue d’ensemble de la commercialisation du bétail pastoral en Afrique. Il explique également les comportements des pasteurs en matière de commercialisation et la logique économique qui sous-tend leurs décisions quant au moment, au nombre et aux types d’animaux à vendre.

Andy Catley

• April 2024
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This brief on water in the drylands of Africa will explore the critical importance of water governance not only for water access and maintenance of water infrastructure, but also the wider governance and use of the surrounding rangelands.

David Pertaub

• April 2024
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Cette note sur l’eau dans les zones arides d’Afrique explore l’importance cruciale de la gouvernance de l’eau, non seulement pour l’accès à l’eau et l’entretien des infrastructures hydrauliques, mais aussi pour la gouvernance et l’utilisation plus larges des pâturages environnants.

David Pertaub

• April 2024