Description

Abstract: Currently, we have an inadequate understanding of how the interaction of climate change and agricultural expansion will impact pastoral and agro-pastoral communities and their production over the coming decades. Our research program is developing an integrated pastoral systems simulation model to study how climate and land use changes in West Africa will impact extensive livestock production systems and pastoral livelihoods through interacting impacts on grazing resources, water resources and transhumance corridors used for cattle migration. Our early work has concentrated on understanding how pastoral communities perceive and are responding to climate and land use changes, mapping annual transhumance patterns of sample herds to improve our understanding of livestock access to critical resources in space and time, and model-based evaluation of the interactions between climate, herder decision-making and the availability of grazing and water resources. This project aims to translate fundamental scientific research to help poor communities prepare for and adapt to climate and land use change and consequently reduce the vulnerability of pastoral communities in West Africa.