Territorial dynamics of agro-pastoralism: The case of a Burkinabe village near an agricultural frontier

摘要

In the Sudanian zone of West Africa, livestock production has increased because of the migration of the Fulani pastoralists towards South and emergence of mixed farming systems. This evolution went along with major changes in demography and agricultural systems and led to drastic consequences in the social organisation of local communities and villages. Emergence of a group of agro-pastoralists with different social status, acting inside the village territory, has changed traditional relationships between previously distinct agriculturalists and pastoralists. The site of the study presented in this paper is located in Torokoro, nearby the Ivory Coast border. This Burkinabe village is part of the most recent immigration area of the country. For the last decade, many migrant families settled in this village and indigenous people represent now 25% of the total population. Livestock rearing which developed recently is practised by three categories of cattle breeders with distinctive socio-cultural traits: the indigenous and migrant agriculturalists and the Fulani pastoralists. Land tenure analysis shows that the history of the village and its demographic evolution have structured Torokoro in several sub-territories. Land cover change reveals that the village territory is organized in two specific farmlands according to migrants and indigenous agriculturalists. Rangeland mapping indicates that each category of agro-pastoralist has its own grazing land. Migrant’s cattle graze freely inside their own zone. Indigenous agriculturalists establish corral for their cattle in areas owned by their family group so that grazing lands appear highly individualized. Fulani pastoralists have an access to grazing lands mainly in the indigenous zone where land tenure is more stable. Some of them graze their herds in neighbouring villages, where grazing land can be shared with others Fulanis. Investigations show low interactions between agricultural and livestock activities. Manure and crop residues are seldom used by agriculturalists and pastoralists. Traditional relationships between pastoralists and agriculturalists, like cattle herding are very limited. Severe conflicts occurred till both groups decided to change certain practices, like setting up “bush corals”. In 1998, a village Committee was created, under governemental authority, to resolve conflicts. Its action is poorly related with local regulations and the different land organisations. Two grazing land based organisations were identified: (i) an intra-village area, mainly managed by indigenous and migrant agriculturalists, where migrants have their own agro-pastoral territory. (ii) a bordering pastoral area, around the village, managed by Fulani pastoralists. Recent dynamics like cashew nut tree orchards plantation and emergence of new land transactions, like sales, could modify the recent territorial organisation. Finally, the study shows the emergence of various grazing land based organisations which do not cover the administrative territorial units of the village. Government policy aims to secure pastoral uses by resolving conflicts in accordance with laws and village Committees. It is a long way from the spatial practices of cattle owners which should be more secured by a land use planning policy.