Pastoral Strategies as related to Community Characteristics: The Case of the Syrian Badia

Abstract

This paper presents an up-to-date characterization of the behavioural patterns of Bedouin 
communities’ in the steppe of Syria, in order to enhance an understanding of how 
rangelands are collectively used. Analysis was conducted from a community perspective as 
pastoral resources are exploited collectively. Based on survey data collected from 359 
households and 50 Badiah communities in spring 2005, the main strategies prevailing today 
were identified and explained in a second step using the agro-ecological conditions and 
socio-economic factors in the communities. The results show a great diversity of mobility 
and feeding patterns as well as interconnections with other communities. This diversity is 
strongly explained by the community’s land potential (which decreases as we move 
towards the dryer zones) and population densities – both indicators defining the average 
amount of forage resource available for a herder in his community