Pastoral mobility: a review

摘要: Introduction Mobility is often regarded as an important characteristic of pastoral societies and their ways production in Africa. However, the interpretation rationale importance mobility changes along with various discourses depending on professional background researcher. While positive perception relatively new among researchers drylands, this not a line thought social scientists studying pastoralists (e.g. Dyson-Hudson 1980, Stenning 1957). Both anthropologists 1966, Evans-Pritchard 1940, Nicolaisen 1963, 1959) others Gallais 1967, Johnson 1969) have pointed to flexible strategies employed by pastoralists. In late 1980s, understanding drylands dynamic gained led so-called 'new rangeland paradigm' which has been called 'state-and-transition' paradigm (Westoby et al. 1989) or 'instability-but-persistence' (Warren 1995). The first papers concerned dryland functioning, but soon implications for management, hence mobility, were included Ellis Swift 1988). This meant that concepts such degradation desertification reinterpreted it now demonstrated 'sustainable resource management' far from equivocal. review will show how understood context range ecology, focus being pastoralists' perceptions can add understanding. Pastoral Within New Rangeland Paradigm thoroughly analysed three seminal books: Range Ecology at Disequilibrium (Behnke, Scoones Kerven 1993), Living Uncertainty (Scoones 1995a), Managing African Rangelands (Niamir-Fuller 1999a). book mainly ecological aspects ecosystems, second elaborates management systems, third emphasises particular aspect namely mobility. According paradigm, are considered disequilibrial (changing one state another) due strong external controls, e.g. droughts, fires, insect attacks. These controls strongly affect primary thus livestock density. As result, productivity controlled highly variable precipitation; because seldom reaches densities high enough influence vegetation productivity, precipitation principal factor controlling inter-annual dynamics (Coppock 1993). within be summarised follows: appropriate unpredictable environments. An tropical heterogeneity natural resources. implies move areas pasture livestock. Moreover, means effect unforeseen events, outbreak disease, bush fire, locust attack, mitigated. Finally, migration between different agro-ecological zones more animals kept than each 1998, 1995b). Turner 1999), 'mobility developed. When light disequilibrium practices, institutions, etc. once characterised destructive, seen ecologically rational. Hence, provides framework based findings examines main arguments discussed here. …