Management of transboundary transhumance (Niger)

Management of transboundary transhumance in order to create the conditions for conflict-free access to resources for livestock keeping in Niger and northern Benin.

This approach involves multiple actors, and is based on cooperation between them in the border region between Benin and Niger. The aim is to handle the concerns of livestock keepers practicing transhumance, who are victims of harassment and conflicts related to access to resources for livestock. It is a framework of exchange between the various actors in charge of managing the mobility of livestock keepers across the border.
The approach aims at the appropriation and application by the multiple stakeholders of the community legislation on transboundary transhumance - as adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (CEDEAO). The context is increased competition for access to natural resources, exacerbated by the effects of climate change. The approach consists of: (i) implementing a framework for cooperative management of transboundary transhumance between Benin and Niger; (ii) ensuring wide dissemination of community legislation of the CEDEAO on the management of the transhumance practices, and (iii) enabling conflict-free and sustainable access to resources for livestock keeping in the two countries.
The main methods used are: (i) the development of the Scheme for regional Land Management (SAF); (ii) building the necessary infrastructure for livestock keeping (marking of corridors and grazing areas, restoration and management of rangelands, establishment of vaccination centres, etc.); (iii) the raising of awareness among livestock keepers, through the organisation of livestock keepers on the ground (grassroots land commission, local committee of transhumance); (iv) the organisation of transboundary and local for a; and (v) monitoring of the implementation of recommendations forthcoming from the meetings.
The process took place in several stages: the actors of the civil society and the livestock keeping services first identified, together with the livestock keepers, the difficulties related to the transhumance in the two countries. Next they proceeded to inform the livestock keepers and farmers about the community legislation of the CEDEAO. Under the responsibility of the authorities of the two countries, transboundary and local fora were organized periodically to discuss difficulties related to transhumance. The census of all transhumant livestock keepers enabled facilitation of the delivery of travel documents (International Certificate of Transhumance - CIT - and identity document). The committee for receiving the transhumant livestock keepers was established and is functional. It is composed of municipalities, the civil society, and heads of the livestock keepers. Its role is to receive and guide the livestock keepers and to facilitate their stay. A mechanism has been put in place to monitor the implementation of the decisions and recommendations during the periodic meetings between the parties.
The regional council is the contracting authority, and ensures the general coordination of the process, and the monitoring of the recommendations. The administrative and customary authorities participate in information and awareness-raising of the population, and in the management of conflicts. The municipalities implement the recommendations and facilitate access to travel documents. The role of the civil society organisations is to watch the process, to identify the key actors, and to inform and make aware the leaders of the livestock keepers and the transhumant livestock keepers. The services for livestock keeping issue the International Certificate of Transhumance (CIT), and take part in awareness-raising and census of the transhumant livestock keepers. The land commissions secure the resources for livestock keeping. The water and forestry services provide information about the management of protected and listed resources. The Program to Support the Livestock Keeping Sector (PASEL7) finances the process and provides technical support.

The livestock keepers have appreciated the participatory and inclusive character of the approach, which has enabled them to share their concerns with all key actors, and to use their language (Fulfulde) in the exchange during the sessions of awareness-raising. The livestock keepers have also appreciated the selection of the municipality of Karimama in Benin as the main entrance zone to Benin for transhumant livestock keepers. However, the livestock keepers regretted the poor logistical organisation of the sessions for awareness-raising, which did not enable participation of the maximum number of livestock keepers in any of the municipalities in Niger.