ABSTRACT
African nomads have reacted to unpredictable and unstable climate conditions by flexibly migrating across the continent for millennia. Mobility appears to be one of the most viable and sustainable coping strategies in non-equilibrium environments, where resources are scarce and only randomly accessible. Colonialism and post-colonial nation-building have created obstacles to this ancient strategy as European-modelled states with fixed and closed borders restricted mobility. Nowadays, some African regional organisations and states have recognised nomadic people’s role to combat desertification, adopting legislation to foster regulated transboundary movements. Meanwhile, there is a growing awareness of nomadic pastoralism as a specific way of life, protected by human and indigenous rights mechanisms. Thus, promoting mobility may preserve the environment as well as foster human rights.
