On the Hoof - Livestock Trade in Darfur

Executive SummaryThis study set out to understand what hashappened to the livestock trade in the greaterDarfur region during the conflict years: how it hasresponded to the constantly shifting conflictdynamics since 2003, how it has adapted, and towhat extent (if at all) it has recovered. It also setout to identify how the livestock trade can besupported in order to better sustain the livelihoodsof different groups in Darfur, both whilethe conflict continues and in the longer term tosupport the eventual recovery of Darfur’s economyand to contribute to the national economy. Itis estimated that Darfur’s livestock account forbetween one-quarter and one-third of Sudan’slivestock resources post-secession.Sudan’s national export trade in livestock andmeat, oriented towards the Middle East, is heavilydependent on a small number of markets—SaudiArabia, Egypt, and Jordan—making it vulnerableto changing trade regimes in those markets and tolosing its market share to competitor exportingcountries that have more sophisticated productionand marketing infrastructure, especially as welfare,hygiene, and disease control regulations becomestricter in livestock-importing countries. Duringthe years of petroleum wealth in Sudan, thelivestock sector received rather little attention interms of government policy and investment,although this now seems to be changing, withrenewed government interest in the livestocksector and the role it can play in future economicgrowth in Sudan post-secession.Darfur’s livestock trade was immediately andbadly affected by the conflict. Early on, in 2003–4,when large numbers of rural households weredisplaced, looting of livestock was widespread.Prices plummeted as distress sales of livestocksoared, and many of the looted animals were soldquickly and locally, usually for meat consumption.Many livestock traders went out of business and/or were bankrupted in these early years; othersswitched to trade in less-risky commodities.Large-scale livestock traders from Omdurmanwithdrew from Darfur’s livestock markets becauseof insecurity and the risks associated with trekkinganimals on the hoof, effectively transferringthe risk of trekking livestock to central Sudan tosmaller-scale Darfuri traders. By March 2011,there were signs of limited recovery in Darfur’slivestock trade as some large-scale traders fromOmdurman returned to the region, especially toSouth Darfur, but this recovery is fragile andcould be threatened by shifting conflict dynamics.All traders interviewed for this study recounteda contraction in the volume of livestock tradedduring the conflict years, of at least 50%, sometimesmore, and a deteriorating quality of livestockbrought to the market compared with thepre-conflict years. Most secondary livestockmarkets have contracted in terms of volume ofsales, and many primary village markets in Darfurhave been closed since the conflict began. Therehas been a sharp fall in the number of livestocktraders operating in Darfur, as well as an ethnicconcentration of livestock traders during theconflict years, reported in all markets in Darfurvisited for this study. In some parts of the region,agreements have been forged between otherwisehostile groups to secure access to trade wherethere are mutual livelihood and economic interests,showing how trade can be a bridge torebuilding relationships between otherwise hostilegroups, and of the benefits to all concerned and tothe economy when this succeeds.Livestock traders have adapted to the conflictenvironment by switching to more secure yetlonger and more circuitous trekking routes. Theyhave reduced the number of animals moving in asingle herd to reduce exposure to looting andnow employ armed guards to accompany theherds. Each of these adaptations has substantiallyincreased the transport costs per head of livestock.Overall, trading costs have soared during theconflict years, rising by 100 to 700% comparedwith 2002, not only due to the hiring of armedguards for protection but also due to the paymentof fees at numerous checkpoints on many routes,and due to substantially increased formal taxes. AJune 2012 • ON THE HOOF: The Livestock Trade In Darfur 7