SO2 - Contribuer à une gestion plus efficace, démocratique, et responsable des services et des ressources dans les zone ciblées

Abstract

For a long time now, Pata has been a zone for migrant settlements. Over time, the migrants have joined the native populations who are mostly agro-pastoral Peuls. At the beginning of the recent migration flows of the 1970¿s, the Pata area was occupied by several ethnic groups¿with Peuls outnumbering the rest¿all engaged in agricultural and livestock activities to varying degrees. The state-controlled forest, despite the presence of some Peul hamlets (enclaves dating back to the 1950's), remained mostly intact, largely uncleared and an important grazing place for local herders. Gambian farmer-herders, whose herds used to come and graze there during the rainy season, also exploited Pata¿s pastoral resources. Beginning in the 1970¿s, this agro-ecological situation changed at a rapid and drastic pace. The 1980¿s drought exacerbated even further this migration process. Moreover, migrants whose first villages in the forest reserve became over-crowded, tended to found new hamlets.