Pastoralism and socio-technological transformations in northern Benin

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Pastoralists in Africa, particularly in Benin, are facing increasing pressures due to governmental development policies favoring crop farming over herding. Georges Djohy examines how Fulani pastoralists are responding to these existential threats. He analyzes local natural resource use and inter-ethnic relations influenced by development interventions, employing both science and technology studies and political ecology to explore the forces of marginalization, adaptation, and innovation in northern Benin. Djohy's extensive experience in the region allows him to uncover gradual socio-technological changes occurring behind the scenes of agricultural development, including mechanization, herbicide use, and land registration. He reveals that farmers are leveraging these interventions as tools to assert rights over land traditionally used by herders. In response, the Fulani are innovating for survival by adopting new technologies for transport and communication, adjusting livestock feeding strategies, and diversifying household income sources. They are organizing from local to national levels to enhance their political voice, manage conflicts, and advocate for designated livestock corridors. Additionally, they utilize non-functioning mini-dairies to showcase their modernity and explore new opportunities for transforming their pastoral systems. This exploration sheds light on the often-overlooked technical and social dynamics result