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Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture
in Recurrent and Protracted Crises

With 196 million people, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country. Around 10 per cent of its people are between 15 and 19. Agriculture is a foundation of the country’s economy, contributing to about 21 per cent of GDP, and with just over one-third of working people in the country employed in agriculture. Livestock production, largely managed by pastoral communities in Nigeria’s semi-arid areas, is an important part of Nigeria’s economy, with around 13 million families owning livestock.

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Transporting water containers from distribution point. Credit: Photo by Jonathan Kalan (p-KEN0646)/ IFRC Publications

A review of tenure and governance in the pastoral lands of East and West Africa

This report looks at how increased pressures and competition for natural resources and pastoral lands in East and West Africa have affected pastoralists' governance and tenure systems.
Sahel resilience Publications

Making the concept of resilience in the Sahel more useful

This brief explore the mistakes being made in how 'resilience' in the Sahel has been discussed and some practical steps that can be taken to make the word more useful.
Young woman harvests vegetables at home, Biu, Nigeria - Photo Credit: Ezra Millstein/Mercy Corps Publications

Living with compounding livelihood shocks: How agropastoralists in Nigeria's drylands are coping and adapting

This paper discusses the effects of compounding shocks and stresses in agropastoral communities in Nigeria. It presents findings on the ways that households are coping and adapting to uncertainty.
The people of Ta Kuti village (Niger State) are pastoralists and beneficiaries of Nigeria’s Fadama II project. Photo: Arne Hoel/World Bank Publications

Transboundary climate and adaptation risks in Africa: perceptions from 2021

This report documents how African policy-makers and experts perceive climate change and adaptation risks that have the potential for multi-country to regional consequences.

Latest news and features

Delegates at the conference ‘Inclusive Investment Opportunities for Unleashing the Power of the Pastoral Sector’. Credit: Joshua Wanyama. News

Unleashing the power of the pastoral sector: new perspectives

Pastoralism is a critical part of Africa’s food system. Yet it is overlooked and urgently requires more support, according to speakers at a recent conference.
Female pastoralist pictured in drylands Features

Social Media: Potential to Harness the Power of Influencers for Impactful Campaigns in the Drylands

This blog reflects on our recent webinar in which we explored how pastoralists use social media, what the recent trends are in mobile use, and how these are informing livelihoods in dryland regions.
Focus group discussions FUDECO held with women's groups - Image by FUDECO Features

‘Educating a woman is educating society’

A girls’ education advocacy initiative led by SPARC partners in the drylands of Nigeria is uniting pastoralist communities. Here we share why investing in gender equality in fragile contexts is vital.

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