ABSTRACT
The global livestock sector is undergoing profound changes in response to the globalization of markets and the rapid transformation of commodity chains. New global players in livestock production have recently emerged in developing regions and the centre of gravity of livestock production has shifted towards the Tropics and Sub-tropics. The social and environmental consequences are important since small-scale livestock producers, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, are increasingly marginalised. However, pastoral livelihood systems offer sustainable production in dry land areas. In Chad, pastoral livestock production remains an important pillar of the national economy even after the start of oil exportation in 2003. The commercial activities of Arab and Dazagada pastoral communities in western Chad are related to the marketing of livestock, of dairy products, and of some services in the immediate proximity to their customary pasturelands. The pastoral societies, like the Dazadaga and Juhayna, are proof of a remarkable resilience during the latest pan-Sahelian droughts and civil war in Chad.
