Pastoralism in the Sahel today: Honouring the work of Jeremy Swift

Hosted by ODI Global

WPF Executive Director Alex de Waal joins a panel of speakers for a tribute to the life and legacy of Professor Jeremy Swift and a timely discussion of the pressing challenges facing Mali and the wider Sahel.

Jeremy Swift was a passionate advocate for pastoralism, sustainable agriculture, and the cultural values rooted in Sahelian communities. His groundbreaking research on pastoral livelihoods, conflict, and resilience profoundly shaped how the world understands the Sahel, pastoralism and the value of mobile livestock systems across the world. His intellectual generosity, open-mindedness and deep commitment to field-based inquiry continue to inspire.

The panel will reflect on the future of pastoralism, a subject central to Jeremy’s life’s work. As pressures on land, insecurity, misleading development narratives and political marginalisation continue to undermine pastoral livelihoods, this discussion will ask how policy, research, development actions, and international engagement can evolve to support more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient futures for pastoral communities across the Sahel.