ABSTRACT
Since 1969, the sedentary and nomadic populations of the West African Sahel have experienced two major droughts and famines. Occupation, then, becomes an important factor in determining the capacity of individuals and domestic units to withstand drought. This chapter utilizes case material drawn from nine households pursuing different occupations in a village in Central Niger to illustrate the interrelationships between occupation and persistence in a drought-prone environment. Several issues emerge from Anne Fleuret’s analysis of “modern” responses to drought. She notes that many of the localized drought responses, such as use of wild foods, dispersal and mobility by foragers and pastoralists, and food and labor-sharing networks, have been rendered ineffective in many instances by government policies and the development of cash markets. The occurrence of drought may accelerate socioeconomic differentiation in rural communities. Research conducted in Niger since the 1969-1973 drought clearly shows that the relationship between access to cash and survival in semi-arid areas is becoming increasingly important.
