Background

The traditional pastoral systems in arid and semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa used to cope effectively and in an environmentally sustainable manner with the prevailing harsh and erratic ecological conditions of those regions. The ability to move their herds over large distances, grazing the diffuse and scattered vegetation of the regions' rangelands, and being able to take refuge to more favorable sites during droughts, was the foundation of their system, and was critical to their livestock and their own livelihoods. However growing human populations are generating an increasing demand for food products and consequently increased competition for natural resources. This destabilizes the effectiveness of the mobile pastoral production system and creates the need to facilitate the development of the changing pastoral production systems. The aim of this e-conference is to provide a forum for local research experts, representatives of pastoral people and pastoral organizations, policy makers and experts from different disciplines to discuss the current development approaches and to define a long-term policy vision and the required steps to implement such vision.

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Objective

The goal of this e-conference is to discuss and review two policy option papers “Community-Based Drought Management for the Pastoral Livestock Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa” and “Investing in Maintaining Mobility in Pastoral Systems of the Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Sub-Saharan Africa” that have been written for the ALIVE multi-actor Partnership. The main purpose of these policy option papers is to inform African policy-makers and decision makers in international aid and financial institutions on the latest developments in key areas important for sustainable livestock development, and provide them with a range of policy options to address the potentials and constraints of the different sub-sectors in the livestock sector.

This electronic conference is part of the general elaboration process of the ALIVE policy notes, composed of three steps: a) the initial draft, b) the e-discussion and c) the regional workshop . The e-conference is designed to provide a forum for experts and stakeholders to exchange information and to discuss views. The results of this electronic conference will feed into a face-to-face regional workshop with a wide audience of African stakeholders to discuss and validate the final policy note.

Conference Agenda

Session 1: 18 October - 15 November (four weeks) (more detail)
Pastoral livelihoods between aid dependence and self-reliant drought management
What are the reasons and options for reducing the vulnerability of pastoral livelihoods to drought

Sub-theme 1: 18 of October -2 November (more detail)

Why invest in a drought management system? Drawing a balance between the cost of not taking action as opposed to the cost of developing and sustaining a community-based drought management system.

Sub-theme 2: 3 November -15 November (more detail)

How many people can the pastoral production sustain? Shall public policies facilitate the rehabilitation of destitute pastoralists back or support diversification and exit strategies of pastoral people?

Session 2: 16 November – 13 December (more detail)
Mobility – the key to making sustainable use of arid and semi-arid areas in sub-Saharan Africa ?
Opportunities and threats to the mobile pastoral production system within a changing environment

Sub-theme 1: 16 November – 27 November (more detail)

Defining the overall vision: How can the mobile pastoral production system contribute to sustainable development of arid and semi-arid areas in sub-Saharan Africa ? Is mobility the key element of pastoral production systems in sub-Saharan Africa?

Sub-theme 2: 28 November – 13 December (more detail)

Pastoral livelihoods in transformation: What are the drivers of the observed trend of reduced mobility? Is there a window of opportunity to induce a change for the better and achieve poverty reduction and improved natural resource management?