*Risk, Resilience, and Pastoralist Mobility/ Tufts University 30.08.16*
Executive summary Based on new evidence from Darfur, this report presents a scientific account of the environmental principles of pastoralist livestock mobility, combined with a review of other key influences on livestock movements throughout the year. Our goal is to provide policy makers and other stakeholders with an objective account of what mobile pastoralists in Darfur can achieve, how they do it, and what they might need to do it better. The intention is to raise awareness and understanding, so as to inform programs and ways of working at all levels, which should also help correct misperceptions and begin to shift negative attitudes towards pastoralism more generally. The evidence reported here reflects two time periods of monitoring pastoralist herds in eastern Darfur, during the rainy season in 2013 and during the dry season in 2015. The monitoring component combines remote sensing data—rainfall and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index1 (NDVI)—with GPS livestock monitoring results (collected by satellite global positioning tracking collars on livestock). The study adopted weekly questionnaires and qualitative approaches to investigate other influences on mobility, including livestock marketing and trade strategies, livelihood diversification, relations with other land users in eastern Darfur and in South Sudan, unanticipated inter-tribal conflict, and local governance linked with access to and management of natural resources (specifically water and pasture). The study findings and analysis produced five broad conclusions, each of which led to specific recommendations that are presented below. Mobility as a strategy to turn temporary deficiencies to advantage At their furthest extent, the migratory routes examined in this report traverse 400 km or more along a north-south transect in a single year. The pastoralists who travel these routes cross what they recognize to be six distinct pastoralist grazing zones. In the course of a year, each of these environments provides conditions and resources that are favorable for livestock production, but at other times of the year pose problems. Seasonal migration in East Darfur is all about using an area when conditions are favorable, and avoiding it when conditions deteriorate. Pastoralists seize opportunities and evade hazards. Generally, the southern parts of East Darfur are too wet for livestock in the rains, exactly when northern pastures are wet enough, while conversely, northern areas are lacking in forage and water in the dry season, when these resources are available further south. The overall pattern of movement is therefore an annual oscillation, north in the wet season and south in the dry season. Manipulating of space and time by pastoralists—where they are and when they are not there—is the essence of mobile strategies for exploiting environmental heterogeneity. The husbandry techniques that pastoralists use to pursue this strategy are not immediately obvious, widely understood, or respected. This report relies heavily on remote sensing data to document pastoralist behavior in relation to some of the biophysical factors that are important for livestock production in East Darfur. The analysis of the data gained through the study has led to the following nine recommendations. -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14oq54Bnuu4miBR25B8b8U7f4m_XMsVvez-Ar%2BiAnHuo%2BwQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
