THE IMPACT OF DARFUR CONFLICT ON LIVESTOCK POPULATION AND PASTORALIST LIVELIHOODS: CASE STUDY OF CENTRAL AND WEST DARFUR STATES (2003 – 2014)

Abstract

The impact of Darfur conflict on livestock and pastoralists livelihoods in Central and West Darfur States is a study conducted in the two states (Central and West Darfur during the period from 2003 to 2014. The objectives of the study are to find out the effects of the conflict on the livestock population, ownership, and the dynamics of pastoralists’ social status and livelihoods options. The methods applied for data collection in this study are descriptive methods of participatory approaches (Participatory Rural Appraisal PRA & Rapid Rural Appraisal RRA) through which two questionnaires were developed of eighty four questions. The questionnaires were distributed most villages and Damras within the fifteen localities of the two states. The results showed that there is a reduction in livestock population ranging from 5% to 7% of total population in the two states, approximately five hundred thousand heads of animals from different species (cattle, sheep, goats and camels) were lost. The migratory routes were changed and the main reasons are the ongoing conflicts. The veterinary services available before the conflict were deteriorated and disappeared from the area. The impact of conflict on animal production in general and milk production in particular was very obvious as the results showed that the average daily milk yield was 1.69 liter per cow which is very low production due to poor pasture and the lack of veterinary services and water resources.