# Pastoral Farming Systems in Arid Regions: Typology of Small Ruminant Farms in Southern Tunisia

## TL;DR

This paper identifies three types of small ruminant farming systems in southern Tunisia, showing how farmers adapt to arid conditions and resource limitations.

## Contribution

A novel typology of pastoral farming systems in southern Tunisia based on herd composition, resource use, and management strategies.

## Key findings

- Three distinct farming systems were identified: small urban farms, large professionalized operations, and camel-based extensive systems.
- Each system reflects different levels of resilience and vulnerability to environmental and economic pressures.
- The study highlights the role of infrastructure, resource availability, and spatial organization in shaping these systems.

## Abstract

Livestock farming in arid regions is under increasing pressure due to water scarcity, degradation of grazing lands, and rising production costs. In southern Tunisia, sheep, goats, and camels remain essential for rural livelihoods, but pastoral farming systems are changing rapidly. This study aimed to identify and describe the main types of pastoral farming systems currently operating in this region. We surveyed livestock farmers in the Tataouine area and examined their herd size, animal species, access to water and grazing land, feeding practices, labor organization, and animal management. The analysis revealed three main farming systems: small farms located near urban areas with limited herd sizes and strong dependence on markets; larger farms with more organized labor and mixed use of grazing and purchased feed; and extensive systems combining small ruminants and camels, relying mainly on natural rangelands and seasonal movement. Each system shows different levels of vulnerability and resilience to environmental and economic constraints. Identifying these farming systems helps improve our understanding of how livestock farmers adapt to harsh conditions and provides valuable guidance for developing targeted policies to support sustainable livestock production and rural livelihoods in arid environments.

This study investigates the typology of the pastoral farming systems in the arid region of southern Tunisia, with a particular focus on the governorate of Tataouine. A field survey was conducted among 111 livestock farmers distributed across different agro-ecological zones. The typology of breeding systems was established using a Factor Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD), which identified eleven dimensions explaining 69.74% of the total data variance. The first three dimensions accounted for 15.91%, 8.79%, and 7.67% of the variability, respectively, and were defined by herd composition, resource availability, and management strategies, including variables such as the number of goats, sheep, and camels, distance to water sources, infrastructure, reproductive practices, and workforce availability. Hierarchical clustering revealed three distinct systems: System 1, regrouping “Small Urban Farmers”, defined by small-scale operations relying on family labor, localized feed resources, and market-driven production targeting urban consumers; System 2, representing large livestock, composed of professionalized operations with improved infrastructure, hired labor, and transhumance practices to optimize resource use and productivity; and System 3, for herds with camels, characterized by extensive systems utilizing collective rangelands and camels to adapt to arid conditions and ensure ecological resilience. The results emphasize how ecological constraints, infrastructure, and spatial organization shape the diversity of these systems. This typology provides critical insights into the challenges and potential of livestock farming in arid environments and offers a foundation for designing targeted interventions to support the sustainability of pastoral systems under increasing environmental and economic pressures.