Changes in the agropastoral system of the Gangara Fulani (Maradi)

This study deals with changes in the agropastoral activities of the Fulani in the rural commune of Gangara (Maradi) in south-central Niger. It shows that the epizootic diseases and droughts that have affected the Sahel in general and Niger in particular the most serious of which were those of 1973 and 1984 have caused a drastic reduction in livestock numbers and a change in their species composition. Added to this is the change in rangelands and sedentarization in a context of cultivation of almost all grazing areas. These changes have had repercussions on the lifestyle of the Peuhl community in socio-economic and cultural terms. The most notable aspects are: dependence on agriculture diversification of activities such as agricultural wage-earning and youth migration. Other impacts include the latter's reluctance to raise livestock changes in behavior and the disappearance of certain customs.