nomadic pastoralism

Cows in Dareda, Tanzania. With so little arable land available, many parts of the developing world practise nomadic pastoralism, where animals are moved around to find fresh pastures and grazing grounds.

Farming system where animals (cattle, goats, camels) are taken to different locations in order to find fresh pastures. It is practised in the developing world; out of an estimated 30-40 million (1990) nomadic pastoralists worldwide, most are in central Asia and the Sahel region of West Africa. Increasing numbers of cattle may lead to overgrazing of the area and desertification.

The increasing enclosure of land has reduced the area available for nomadic pastoralism and, as a result, this system of farming is under threat. The movement of farmers in this way contrasts with sedentary agriculture.