Inland fisheries, tenure systems and livelihood diversification in Africa: The case of the Yae´re´ floodplains in Lake Chad Basin

Abstract

One of the key conclusions that emerges from recent socio-economic research in rural development is the need to recognise the heterogeneity of rural societies and the diversity of their livelihood strategies. Even small communities are made up of diverse assemblages of different socio-economic strata characterised by different livelihood strategies and economic portfolios (Ashley and Carney 1999; Ellis 1999; Toulmin et al. 2000; Vosti and Reardon 1997). Depending on where they stand within these socio-economic strata, households and individuals have highly differentiated access to resources and opportunities, much of which is systematically linked to ethnicity, gender and ownership of assets, as well as knowledge, network and experience acquired over time. While the poorest households in the community will depend heavily upon a given combination of crops and/or natural resources (usually common pool resources) for their food security and income generation, the better-off, because they face different socio-economic and institutional constraints and opportunities, will develop sometimes radically) different activity portfolios. In this context, understanding the exact contribution of each rural activity to the local and households' economy and identifying their respective potential (positive or negative) effects on poverty reduction and wealth differentiation for the local population appear as a key-element for the design of appropriate rural development policies.