Damage to fragile environments: management of farming in the Sahel
Management issues
| Government View | Nomads' View | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad's herds are too large for the pastures available | • Keep as many animals as possible to allow for
those that die
• Animals are our wealth and provide all our needs |
• Size of herds increasing |
| Nomads herds are unhealthy. Vaccinations will improve their quality | • Can now own more because fewer will die from disease | • Large scale vaccination programmes
• Size of herds increasing |
| Encourage settlement to protect Game Reserves and to collect taxes | • Have always followed traditional migration
routes that make the best use of a risky environment
• Poaching of game animals |
• Aggression over loss of lands
• Compensation paid for loss of land rights. Nomads receive a share of the tourist income from Game Reserves • Poaching reduced |
| Intensive farming is leading to soil erosion | • Need the land for food production | • Construction of stone lines along the contours to increase rainfall infiltration and reduce soil erosion |
| Reduce family sizes | • Children help with farming and are an insurance in old age | • Family sizes still large |
| Provide aid for new water supplies in compensation for loss of grazing land | • Herds concentrated on new wells | • Deep wells and storage tanks provided
• Erosion concentrated around the wells |