New pastoral movements: the case of sheep herders in Djelfa Wilaya, Algeria

Abstract

The socioeconomic, demographic, political and climatic changes that the Algerian steppe has undergone in recent decades have led to major alterations in livestock husbandry practices, particularly in terms of pastoral mobility. This study describes new mobility practices currently adopted by herders in the region of Djelfa. It was based on 59 semidirective interviews conducted between 2014 and 2016 with herders in various hosting areas. Our results revealed a diversity of pastoral practices related to the distance traveled during an annual cycle, the calendar, the transhumance itinerary, and whether or not they passed through their home areas. The movements could vary from one year to another or during the herders’ lifetime. This study showed that new forms of adaptation to the changing context of the Algerian steppe could be implemented by breeders through new long-distance movements. Our results highlight new forms of pastoral mobility despite the tightening of space and show that settling is not the only form of adaptation of pastoral populations to changes.