Mixed Grazing System:
Sedentary Pastoralists also Growing Crops

Background A wide range of factors may contribute to a reduction in the viability of pastoralist grazing systems, e.g. an increase in population. In addition, social and political unrest or a lack of security resulting in livestock theft (cattle raiding) may also contribute to a reduced viability of pastoralist grazing systems. Whatever the cause, the decline in opportunities for grazing results in pressures for pastoralists to cultivate crops. Many of them still own livestock which may be kept in family or group herds under the grazing system. | Background Environmental Assessment: Pressure State Response Indicators Policy Pressures and Policy Options Technology Options

Depending on the location of settlements these former pastoralists may compete for crop land with other crop and mixed system farmers. These farmers will usually belong to different social groups and conflicts may therefore arise, particularly over the allocation of land resources.

The process of sedentarisation results in a number of changes for the people involved, both for the new farmers and those that may have lived in the area previously. An excess of labour can be used for some crop cultivation, and may be one of the factors involved in promoting or influencing the changes to former pastoralist systems. In the majority of cases livestock are still owned, although in reduced numbers, and these constitute an important reserve. In case of crop failure people can still rely on the sale and exchange of livestock for purchase of basic needs (although at such times the sale of livestock may result in greatly reduced prices compared with other years). Because of this ability to rely on livestock in times of drought or poor harvest, these farmers are able to take risks and cultivate crops in areas with unreliable rainfall for crops. Cultivation under these conditions often results in erosion and land degradation.

The settlement pattern of (former) pastoralists is very much dictated by the availability of water for livestock in the dry season. Increasing use and competition for water by people, agriculture and livestock is therefore an important determining factor influencing any changes in settlement pattern that may accompany the change from pastoralism to mixed farming systems. Drying up of wells, ponds and flood plains well before the onset of the end of the dry season, or measures that exclude livestock to make use of remaining water resources (e.g. irrigation) often causes them to abandon the settlement and move on to other areas.

This common trend can further be supported by government policies and by NGOs stimulating people to settle and integrate in modern society by offering them public and private services as such as education, health and markets and the creation of roads and other communication infrastructure.

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