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SUMMARY:Scarce land\, diverse livelihoods - Tracking 35 years of change in
  central Mali - Professor Camilla Toulmin\, Lancaster University and iied
DTSTART:20171114T130000Z
DTEND:20171114T140000Z
UID:TALK94810@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr. Chris Sandbrook
DESCRIPTION:Camilla’s work documents change over 35 years in a small mud
  village in central Mali. Like much of the Sahel\, the village of Dlongueb
 ougou and the wider area is usually seen by government and outsiders as po
 or and degraded. But her study shows remarkable growth and investment over
  the last 35 years. Today\, for example the combined assets of Dlongueboug
 ou households are worth more than $600\,000\, a sum which has multiplied b
 y 5 since 1980 when she first went there. Shops\, solar panels and motorbi
 kes have become the “must have” assets\, alongside oxen plough-teams\,
  donkey carts and wells. Like many other communities in this dry zone\, pe
 ople are dealing with multiple and diverse risks. Rainfall\, harvests\, il
 lness\, political shocks and market shifts all make it difficult to plan a
 nd manage the family’s fortunes. For example\, the recent arrival of a l
 arge Chinese sugar-cane plantation has had multiple damaging impacts on th
 is region\, with hundreds of farmers evicted from their land now seeking c
 ultivation space around Dlonguebougou. But the powerful combination of coo
 peration and competition you find in this and neighbouring communities hel
 ps explain their ability to manage risks and accumulate capital. However\,
  not everyone does well. She shows the vital role of large domestic groups
  in providing collective insurance to its members.\nThis talk presents: Hi
 story of the village\, and the purpose of this study\; Land\, rainfall and
  farming system\; People and households\; Investments and wealth\; changes
  in attitudes and values\; migration patterns\; and finally\, important ac
 tivities to follow up including what the new Land Law can offer to secure 
 local land rights\, and engagement strategies with the Chinese sugarcane p
 lantation.
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Department of Geography
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