The Changing Gizu: Pastoralism, Migration, and the War Economy

Pastoralism in Sudan’s Gizu region is more than a way of life — it is a cornerstone of livelihoods, food security and nutrition across the Darfur and Kordofan States.

For generations, the practice of Gizu pastoralism has sustained livestock producers and integrated with farming systems further south. The Gizu refers both to the region in north-western Sudan and to the unique, short-lived vegetation that occurs seasonally but unpredictably.

Livestock grazing gizu pastures need no additional water, given its high moisture content. Traditionally used by camel and sheep herders, it is now also used by goat herders.

Visiting the gizu is a long-standing tradition that provides major benefits to livestock, pastoral livelihoods, and Sudan’s broader economy. It remains an essential resource for many pastoralists.

However the region has experienced profound economic and social changes linked to gold mining, migration and the war economy, with serious implications for pastoralism, livelihoods and food security across the region.

Little is known about this region except for by way of early explorations in the 1930s and 1940s, with the last comprehensive review of what is known about the region by Wilson (1978). Two recent fields visits by Tufts researchers in 2021 and 2022 suggest that livelihood systems associated with the Gizu have been reshaped by protracted conflict, trade and migration.

This research explores the ecological significance of the Gizu region of Sudan and the implications of recent changes for pastoralist livelihoods, resource access, and system resilience. The research draws on a series of scoping studies conducted before the war started in 2023, and is supplemented with stakeholder interviews,

The findings will help strengthen evidence for policy and programming by highlighting how ecological and socio-economic change in the Gizu region shapes resilience and vulnerabilities to food and nutrition security in Sudan.

The study will use qualitative data collected under a previous Tufts study combined with remote sensing data analysis. To contextualize findings, we will interview professionals: technical and regional experts, scholars and staff of national and international organizations.

This work is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Sudan.

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