Land issues and stakeholder strategies in the Tarka Valley

Stakeholders involved in land issues in the Tarka Valley have forged relationships centred on access to and management of land in response to growing challenges. Based on surveys and interviews, several systems of pastoral mobility and the stakeholders involved in land management have been identified. Our findings show that three major issues shape the practices and strategies of stakeholders regarding pastoral land use in this valley: the problem of the northern boundary of cropland, control of the pastoral zone, and the issue of transhumance. Traditional chiefs facilitate this occupation by allocating fields for various reasons. 45% of water points are privatised, compared with 44% monopolised by traditional chiefs and 11% managed by village committees. This monetisation of access to water leaves pastoralist households vulnerable, with their mobility more or less restricted, as all herders transhuming northwards pass through the Tarka Valley. This situation leads to conflicts over pastoral resources, which are often fatal.

Pagina's: 72, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing