The social context of herding contracts in the Far North Region of Cameroon*

Droughts across Africa have led to a shift in livestock ownership from impoverished pastoralists to absentee owners who contract hired herders to manage * This research has been supported by the National Science Foundation (BCS-9910557, BCS0748594), the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research (Gr. 6661), the National Geographic Society (8306-07), the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Anthropology Department, and the Office of International Affairs at the Ohio State University. We thank the Ecole de Faune in Garoua (2008–10) and the University of Ngaoundére (2000–1) for granting research permission and research affiliation. We also want to thank the students in 620.05 Cultural Ecology (Autumn 2009, the Ohio State University) and Colin West for their critical feedback on earlier versions of this article. J. of Modern African Studies, 49, 2 (2011), pp. 263–285. f Cambridge University Press 2011 doi:10.1017/S0022278X11000048