Executive Summary
Pastoralism has been a critical driver of wealth, culture, and resilience across the African continent for centuries. Yet, despite its tremendous contributions, it remains undervalued in national policies and economic statistics. The African Union recognizes that pastoralism, if properly supported and secured, holds immense potential to drive economic growth, enhance food security, and contribute to political stability across Africa.
Today, pastoralism faces a multitude of challenges — including rapid population growth, urbanization, land-use changes, climate change, and security threats — that jeopardize its sustainability. As a response, the African Union’s Policy Framework on Pastoralism, adopted in 2011, called upon member states to integrate pastoralism into national development strategies and to protect the rights and livelihoods of pastoral communities.
However, a decade later, many pastoral areas remain marginalized, often becoming hubs for criminal activity and insecurity, particularly in regions like the Sahel. Far from being complicit, pastoralists are among the primary victims of violence, displacement, and economic hardship.
To protect and promote pastoralism, there is a need for innovative and flexible policies that build on the rich indigenous knowledge of pastoral communities while supporting them to adapt to new realities.
The Contribution of Pastoralism to African Development
Pastoralism plays a vital economic, environmental, and socio-cultural role in African societies. Livestock production remains a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in many African countries. In regions with strong pastoral traditions like Niger, Chad, and Mali, livestock accounts for up to 10–15% of national GDP. Across the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) countries, the livestock sector contributes between 20–30% of GDP.
Beyond GDP figures, pastoralism provides a foundation for food security, employment, cultural preservation, and rural livelihoods. Over 90% of the meat consumed in some African countries comes from pastoralist herds. Pastoralists are also central to the leather, hides, and dairy sectors, providing raw materials for industries that, if properly developed, could significantly boost Africa’s industrialization and trade.
At the local level, dynamic cattle markets, often self-managed by breeders’ associations, have become powerful engines for rural development. Women, who traditionally manage dairy production and sales, play a critical role in sustaining family incomes and enhancing community resilience.
Regionally, cross-border livestock trade contributes massively to economic integration. For instance, Nigeria imports millions of cattle annually from West and Central Africa, supporting livelihoods across multiple borders.
Pastoralism and Environmental Sustainability
Contrary to outdated perceptions that blame pastoralists for land degradation and desertification, modern research shows that pastoralism can enhance environmental sustainability. Mobile livestock grazing, when managed well, promotes biodiversity, controls bushfires, and improves soil health by facilitating seed dispersal and water infiltration.
In many pastoral zones, local breeds have been carefully adapted over centuries to survive harsh climates and resist endemic diseases. Protecting these indigenous livestock breeds is vital for safeguarding Africa’s genetic resources and future food security.
Moreover, as the world shifts towards green economies, Africa’s extensive pastoral systems offer opportunities for producing environmentally friendly, high-quality animal products. Unlike industrial livestock production, pastoralism is often carbon-neutral, balancing emissions through natural carbon sequestration in soils and vegetation.
Challenges Facing Pastoralism Today
Despite its immense benefits, pastoralism is under siege from various forces:
1. Rapid Population Growth and Urbanization
Africa’s population is set to double by 2050, exerting enormous pressure on land and resources. Urban expansion often encroaches on traditional pastoral lands, fragmenting rangelands and blocking livestock mobility. The demand for food in burgeoning cities, while an opportunity for pastoralists, also pushes for intensified and sometimes unsustainable production methods.
2. Land Grabbing and Loss of Grazing Lands
Large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors, sometimes referred to as “land grabbing,” are stripping pastoralists of their ancestral grazing grounds. Without secure land rights, pastoral communities find themselves displaced, marginalized, and forced into precarious survival strategies.
3. Climate Change and Environmental Shocks
Climate variability is shrinking available pasture and water sources, forcing pastoralists into longer and riskier migrations. Droughts, desertification, and extreme weather events amplify tensions over scarce resources and contribute to conflicts between pastoralists and sedentary farmers.
4. Breakdown of Traditional Institutions
Traditional systems of governance, which once regulated pastoral mobility and conflict resolution, are weakening under the combined pressure of modernization, state centralization, and external influences. As a result, disputes that could previously be settled locally are escalating into violent conflicts.
5. Security Threats and Terrorism
In the Sahel and other regions, terrorist groups exploit marginalized pastoral communities, recruiting disenfranchised youth and turning pastoral territories into conflict zones. This further stigmatizes pastoralists and fuels cycles of violence and displacement.
The Need for a New Approach: Securing Pastoralism
To secure pastoralism’s future, a multifaceted approach is needed:
Recognition of Rights: Pastoralists must have their land tenure and mobility rights legally recognized and protected.
Support for Adaptation: States should assist pastoral communities in adapting to climate change, through improved veterinary services, early warning systems, and investment in water and grazing infrastructure.
Conflict Prevention and Resolution: Policies must prioritize peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, encouraging dialogue, local agreements, and equitable resource sharing.
Strengthening Institutions: Both traditional and modern governance structures should be empowered to mediate conflicts, manage resources, and represent pastoral interests.
Regional Cooperation: Given the cross-border nature of pastoralism, regional frameworks like the ECOWAS and IGAD protocols on transhumance must be implemented and strengthened.
A Soft-Law Approach: The African Union Guidelines
The African Union recommends adopting non-binding “soft law” guidelines to secure pastoralism. These guidelines serve as reference points for countries to:
Develop or reform national pastoral legislation.
Promote regional harmonization of laws affecting pastoral mobility.
Create enabling environments for pastoralists to thrive sustainably.
Soft-law instruments offer flexibility, respecting national sovereignty while fostering common standards across Africa. They are crucial tools for advancing Agenda 2063’s vision of “The Africa We Want” — an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful continent driven by its own citizens.
Conclusion
Pastoralism is at a crossroads. If Africa fails to protect and promote its pastoral heritage, it risks losing not only a key economic sector but also a cultural and environmental asset of global significance. By securing pastoral rights, supporting sustainable development, and promoting peaceful coexistence, African states can unlock the full potential of pastoralism as a pillar of resilience, prosperity, and peace.
The time to act is now — for a secure, peaceful, and sustainable pastoralism in Africa.