Some time ago a friend of mine told me of his encounter with a herdsman, who often moves his cattle to the east of the country. He said that when he moved his cattle along on such occasions, he would rather run into a lion than the forest guard. This tells us a good deal about the sort of relationship that prevails between pastoralists and officers of the public administration.

There are several reasons for these tensions. Obviously it may happen that a herdsman really trespasses, while moving his cattle. He might cut off branches to feed his animals. In such cases he will have a good reason to fear the forest guard. However, it is also quite true that the guards take advantage of the ignorance of pastoralists and threaten them with heavy fines or even prison … and then go on to suggest a “private settlement”, in order to top up their monthly pay.

One may even wonder how much the authorities really want to help cattle owners come out of their ignorance and provide them with information. Since I started investigating the milk sector, going out to the various communities of pastoralists, I find one surprise after another. I have discovered a strong and widespread demand for literacy courses in fulfulde, (the language of the Fulani livestock herding communities). But I also discover that sometimes such requests have already been expressed for years in vain. In writing this, I come to think of an old Fulani tribal chief who asked for literacy courses and was told: “If you want to learn to read and write in your language, you can go to Dori” – 500 km away from his village!

Two weeks ago I was pondering this problem. What could be done to find the necessary number of teachers and meet the vast demand for literacy courses? After having asked a few education officers of different county councils if they could provide teachers, I was told that they had none and that it would be necessary to call in external help – which in no way would facilitate things and which would also add to the cost. But then I had to pleasant surprises.

I went to see two Fulani communities which had settled near a village, where there was a school. They had asked for literacy courses in Fulfulde. While talking to them I learnt that some of the younger members, mainly men, had been pupils at the village school, where they had been taught up to CM2 level, and sometimes until the 4th grade. They had then gone on to learn reading and writing in the jula language, some of them even acting as teachers for students of jula. I gave them some books in their native fulfulde language, so that they could a least become familiar with its alphabet. This did not seem to cause too much difficulty.

Thus in December we will start organising a training course for them. If all goes according to plan, they should be ready by January 2008 to lead Fulfulde literacy courses. Some will do this remaining in their home community, while others will go out to other more or less distant villages.

I am convinced that there are many similar situations in Burkina Faso. With a real political will and a minimum of organisation, it will be possible to meet the strong demand for training courses from the fulani communities. Providing them with reading and writing skills would, I believe, substantially reduce the many disputes arising between livestock keepers and peasant farmers and thus secure peaceful social relations.

Koudougou, July 12, 2007

Maurice Oudet

Director, SEDELAN