Burkina livestock owners herding towards a better future

A workshop organised by the Association for Culture, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry Development(Association Culture, Tourisme et Développement Agro-Pastoral - CTDAP) was held on April 30th in Bobo-Dioulasso on the subject of "Financing the livestock sector". An introductory presentation was made by Dr Ibrahima Aliou, the Secretary General of the Association for the Advancement of pastoralism in the Sahelian region and the savana.(Association pour la Promotion de l'Elevage dans le Sahel et la Savane - APESS).

We were around fifty participants, mainly livestock keepers. However, five banks were also represented as well as the Caisse Populaire of Bama. Most of the stock keepers expressed themselves in the fulfulde language. This means that we were mainly discussing sedentary and extensive transhumant pastoralism, as defined by the speaker.

Dr Ibrahima Aliou started by pointing out a paradox. The economic benefit of livestock rearing is recognised by all and the sector contributes 25% to GDP and represents 25% of export earnings of Burkina Faso. It is also the main source of income of three million Burkinabè. In spite of this, the sector receives less than 2% of the budget for agricultural development. Stock keeping is even more neglected by the public authorities than farming.

The speaker went on to emphasise "The key to everything - organisation!"

In the discussion bankers confirmed their readiness to lend support to the stock keepers. They were very much aware that livestock is one of the nation's main assets. They added, however, that cattle on the move to new pastures, is no considered a guarantee for the bank. They encouraged the livestock keepers to set up a solid organisation, just as the cotton farmers succeeded in doing previously.

From the debate a consensus emerged: Only by setting up a more efficient organisation can stock keepers obtain financial support from banks and public authorities and, more importantly, become the masters of their own destiny. At present it seems that livestock keeping is neither directed, nor managed by the owners/keepers themselves. When an explanation for this state of affairs is sought, the first cause that is mentioned is illiteracy. As well as cultural aspects.

One may well ask why livestock keepers would want to borrow money? Are they interested in banks at all? One participant replied that many traditionally nomadic cattle owners look upon themselves as wealthy and would feel ashamed asking for a loan.

The answer to this statement was that culture is about to change. Most stock keepers are now about to move from extensive grazing around their settlements combined with short transhumance to other pastures, into diversified activities. Very often, for example, a small number of their cattle (5, 10 or 15) will remain at home, while the remainder of the herd is moved elsewhere. This is the case, for instance, when a cattle farmer decides to supply milk to one of the mini-dairies nearby. Or when he wants to fatten animals for sale at the market. He will then select, or buy, young bovines, which he will give plenty of feed to fatten them quickly and sell them. In that case he might need to take a loan, either to buy young cattle or fodder supplements. Likewise stock keepers who turn to local breeds renowned for their high performance, such as Azawak and Goudalis zebu, are sometimes looking for cash.

Until only a few years ago stock keepers, who would practice transhumance, would readily declare: "Literacy, schools, banks - that is for others". This is why a large number of stock keepers have not learnt to read and write. Most of their children do not go to scchool. But when taking a closer look, we see that things have changed. More and more herding communities are now asking for the setting up of a fulfulde literacy school in their camps. When adult women have learnt to read and write they send their children to school.

The opinion of the workshop participants was that they should find the ways and means to meet this demand. Therefore the herders and their organisations resolved to take active part - also financially - in the advancement of literacy courses, education and training in their communities. They further decided to create a network among their organisations to make their work more consistent and efficient.

If these resolutions are carried out in actual practice, pastoralists will have taken a significant first step towards herding their communities towards a better future.

Bobo-Dioulasso, May 2nd 2009

Maurice Oudet

Director, SEDELAN