Transhumance in the Sahel: more than 400 pastoralists stranded between Burkina and Benin

The transhumance of herds in the Sahel (photo of illustration). Marco LONGARI / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

From March to June, during the lean season, most herds from Sahelian countries come to seek pasture in coastal countries. But this year, Benin has decided to close its borders to foreign transhumants, for security reasons. A decree was issued to this effect on December 26. Only Niger benefits from an exceptional measure. For Sahelian breeders, this ban makes their situation critical.

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Diallo Hama comes from the town of Tambaga, in eastern Burkina Faso. He traveled 200 kilometers with his herd to reach the Benin border, where he was stranded. The season was hard, the rains insufficient, Diallo Hama needs pasture. " There is the problem of water, the problem of trees ... Today, there are a few herds that cannot even stand up. The animals will die. "

But Benin itself paid the price for capricious rains this year. Wolou Alawolé, is the focal point of transhumance at the Ministry of Livestock. “ Many of our pasture areas have left due to flooding. Droughts have also contributed to greatly reducing the biomass that could normally be expected. "

It is also in the name of security that Benin has chosen to close its borders to transhumants . Dodo Boureima, president of the West African breeders network Bilital Maroobé, regrets that pastors are stigmatized in this way. “ We often make an amalgamation, we say that it is the transhumants who convey violence. However, a breeder seeks to save his herd. He can't get involved in that sort of thing. "

From this Sunday, Nigerien breeders can come to Benin, but under strict conditions: only three entry points have been authorized, the names of the transhumants must have been transmitted beforehand and the number of head of cattle is limited to 50,000.

► Read also: In the Sahel, the number of food insecure people has doubled in one year

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  • sahel
  • Burkina Faso
  • Benign
  • Agriculture and Fisheries

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