Theme 6-2: Pastoralism, Social, Gender and Policy Issues--Poster Sessions
Description
Land degradation linked to pastoralism use has been a worldwide concern for decades. A biological approach has often been use to understand such phenomena, usually disregarding economic and social factors. Radical transformations of pastoralism at the Algerian steppe constitute a good case study to provide an integrated understanding and to better orient development in other pastoralist areas across the world. Different actions by the public sector since the 1960s, as well as the land legislation adopted and the strong agricultural subventions during 2000-2010, have favored a massive conversion of land and resource management. This translates into conversion of many pastures into crops and overuse of the remaining ones.
In order to understand the consequences of such changes into natural resources (pasture, water and soil), 236 field surveys were conducted (quantitative as well as qualitative) between 2006 and 2017. They were accompanied by phytoecological samplings to estimate impact on vegetation recovery, biomass and pastoralist production.
While nomadic pastoralism practicing north-south transhumance and based on sheep and goats has declined, other more sedentary types of pastoralism (based on sheep, goats or cattle) combined with intensive crops have emerged. Family-related or paid herders live on tents during herd mobility, and live in a fix household the rest of the year. Grass represents just one third of the total livestock intake and barley crops, previously found only in valleys, are today mechanized and expanded into fragile rangeland soils. Vulnerability to climate variability and cereal price fluctuations in the international market is consequently higher. The higher cereal consumption increases fiber demand in animals, devastating plant cover and triggering land degradation.
Specific mechanisms should be envisioned to prevent severe environmental impacts associated with pastoralism intensification. This lesson should be applied to other development interventions currently envisioned by different stakeholders who propose increase of animal feeds.
Citation
Bencherif, S. and Manzano, P., "Intensification of Pastoralism as a Driver of Degradation in the Algerian Steppe" (2022). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 10.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/24/6-2/10
Included in
Intensification of Pastoralism as a Driver of Degradation in the Algerian Steppe
Land degradation linked to pastoralism use has been a worldwide concern for decades. A biological approach has often been use to understand such phenomena, usually disregarding economic and social factors. Radical transformations of pastoralism at the Algerian steppe constitute a good case study to provide an integrated understanding and to better orient development in other pastoralist areas across the world. Different actions by the public sector since the 1960s, as well as the land legislation adopted and the strong agricultural subventions during 2000-2010, have favored a massive conversion of land and resource management. This translates into conversion of many pastures into crops and overuse of the remaining ones.
In order to understand the consequences of such changes into natural resources (pasture, water and soil), 236 field surveys were conducted (quantitative as well as qualitative) between 2006 and 2017. They were accompanied by phytoecological samplings to estimate impact on vegetation recovery, biomass and pastoralist production.
While nomadic pastoralism practicing north-south transhumance and based on sheep and goats has declined, other more sedentary types of pastoralism (based on sheep, goats or cattle) combined with intensive crops have emerged. Family-related or paid herders live on tents during herd mobility, and live in a fix household the rest of the year. Grass represents just one third of the total livestock intake and barley crops, previously found only in valleys, are today mechanized and expanded into fragile rangeland soils. Vulnerability to climate variability and cereal price fluctuations in the international market is consequently higher. The higher cereal consumption increases fiber demand in animals, devastating plant cover and triggering land degradation.
Specific mechanisms should be envisioned to prevent severe environmental impacts associated with pastoralism intensification. This lesson should be applied to other development interventions currently envisioned by different stakeholders who propose increase of animal feeds.
