West and Central Africa — Tillaberi (Niger), Gao (Mali) and Sahel (Burkina Faso) — Mapping of Stranded Herders 1 (April 2022)

Cross-border transhumance is a major herding practice in West and Central Africa, and especially in the Sahel region. As an important economic activity and a driver of regional development, transhumance has, in the past decades, been subject to significant changes. Climatic variation, demographic pressure, growing competition over scarcer resources, political volatility and insecurity have deeply affected transhumant routes, patterns and flows.

This dashboard presents the results of data collected in Niger at the border with Gao in Mali and the Sahel region in Burkina Faso in April 2022. A total of 23 localities were assessed by the Bilital Maroobe Network (RBM) and its network of pastoralist organizations using a common methodology involving regional workshops with relevant stakeholders and local assessment
conducted by trained enumerators. This information product highlights the number of herders and their cattle currently stranded at
borders, as well as potential solutions to resume cattle mobility.