Pastoralists are an important asset to Niger, both culturally and economically.

It is their profound knowledge of the difficult Sahelian environment, and their sophisticated organisation as specialised networks of breeders and producers, that enables the sustainable exploitation of the immense semiarid rangelands in the country.

Supporting these groups of producers in keeping their system reliable and efficient is in the long-term interest of the country. Key to such efficiency, is securing easy and flexible access to pasture and watering points. Further development would be prompted by a livestock marketing system more efficient and more favourable to the producers, and by forms of schooling non-antagonistic to the economically strategic mobility of pastoral households.

So far, pastoralists have received very little of this kind of support. Their representation in the official structures of Niger's society has remained marginal. When decisions are taken, affecting their territory (legislation, policy making), they are hardly ever involved and can rarely benefit.

Djingo (Fulfulde for 'All united to support our initiatives') wants to unite the local and scattered pastoralists' associations to voice the needs and opinions of their community towards national and foreign development structures.