This book brings together the work of a number of leading specialists of the Fulbe (Fulani, Peul), the largest and most widespread group of pastoralists in West Africa. The collection deals with a wide variety of subjects, ranging from ethnicity and identity, ecology and politics, and social transformation and takes us to such diverse settings across the African continent as urban Nigeria, dryland West and Central Mali, the Aadamaawa plateau in Cameroon, the Guinean highlands, the Ivorian savannah, the Central Sudan, Northern Benin and the Senegal valley. This volume shows that the Fulbe are a fascinating example for the comparative study of social change, and ecological and cultural adaptation by discussing contemporary changes in Fulbe society and the amazing variety of settings in which they are able to survive.

Mountain forests provide important ecological services, and essential products. This book focuses on the importance of mountain forests in Cameroon for the local people who depend most directly on them, and have often developed a wealth of indigenous knowledge on plants and sophisticated institutions for managing limited plant and animal resources. Such knowledge and institutions have often been threatened, or even destroyed, by centralization and globalization; yet there is increasing recognition that community-based institutions are the best adapted to ensuring that mountain forests continue to supply their diverse goods and services to both mountain and other people over the long-term. The book provides a useful combination of case studies on ethnobotanic analysis and cultural values of plants, community-based ecological planning for protected area management and eco-cultural tourism development. It provides an unusually useful combination of overviews and synthesis of theory and experience with in-depth case studies of montane forest-adjacent communities and protected areas. Throughout the book there are good summary tables, case study maps, and diagrams that are relevant to the themes in question. Finally, the book addresses the possible mutual benefits of indigenous knowledge and modern science, indigenous peoples and the development of eco-cultural tourism in protected areas, indigenous peoples and ecological planning in protected areas. It therefore emphasizes cooperation based on partnerships amongst indigenous people, governments and the global conservation community, in the interest of effective conservation. This is a valuable book for land managers, environmental scientists, environmental biologists, natural resource managers and students reading subjects such as geography, biology, forestry, botany and environmental science.

Originally published in 1986, this volume deals with various aspects of the life of the pastoralists who live in the area between what was Senegambia and Cameroon. It analyses the changing relations between pastoralists and agricultural peoples, and the changes that pastoral societies are undergoing with urbanisation, increased central government control and the spread of market relations. The papers are in both English and French and include historical studies of aspects of the history of Adamawa, the Fulani, the Twareg, the Shuwa Arabs and the Koyam in pre-colonial times. There is also a survey of the state of Fula language studies and the variety of Fula literature; discussions of the changing nature of pastoralism and the nomadic way of life in Cameroon, Senegal and Nigeria, including the effects of drought.

Originally published between 1986 and 1989 the 8 volumes in this set reflect the research and debate surrounding many issues for the African economy, society and culture and as such make a vital contribution to effective development, both rural and urban. They re-issue key titles from the International African Library and the International African Seminars and address themes of direct relevance to contemporary Africa on topics as diverse as medicine, migration, housing, pastorialism and marriage.