r - part - usaid

The herding uf animals provides most residents with a major
source af food and is n form of savings and investment.
According to the Wyoming study, 27 percent of the rurak
housholda own camels, 33 percent own goats, 80 percent own at
least one head of cattle and only lo percent own any sheep.
Putr;amfs (1985) sample of 21 households in a village north of
Bafdaa, indicated that about 60 percent dWmed camels,
approximately SO percent owned goats, and all families awned
cattle (1984~478). The total ntzmber of livestock owned per
family varies significantly within villages and between
ecalogical zones. In general, tha size of herds is much larger
in the nun-agricultural zones where pastoralism ia Ulo principal
economic activity. Unfortunately, the Wyoming baseline study
does not provide this information for each ecological zone,
Estilnates of average family livestock holdings are 10-15 units,
with a range from 5 to 50. The breakdown of ranges is roughly
2-40 for cattle, with a mean of about 5-15; 0-50 sheep and
goats, w ith an average for those families who own them of about
20-30; and 2-20 camels, with a mean of 3-6.
3.1-5. Social Qrganization
The village is the central focus of social organization and
where residents claim a cornon male ancestor. Although
residents often consider themselves of the same "tribeo*, most
villages are camposed of members of several lineages and thus
regard one another as t*nan-relatfvesg9. ~ewis (1969) writes:
Vhe most important divisions [in the Bay
Region] are the villages.,.These local
residential units with their members fields
scattered around them, comprising people of
different sections af a clan, have a strong
sense of local autonomy and cohesionH.
Village size varies throughout the region, with larger
villages resulting froz a combination of factors such as
availability of arable land, quality of rangeland, access to
roads, and availability and dependability of water. The
residence pattern can be described as scattered, and households
within a single villages are often spread over several square
kilometers. The largest villages are found in areas with goad
arable land, are located near major rands to market towns, and
have a permanent supply of water, usually a WDA well or large
reservoir. The evaluation of CDGP project villages in which
water facilities were installed indicate that people from within
and outside the area tend to move close to the well. The size
af villages appears to significantly affect the number of
commercial and public services available.