Herding by Mobile Phone: Technology, Social Networks and the “Transformation” of Pastoral Herding in East Africa

Abstract

Over the last decade, the number of people who rely on mobile phones in sub-Saharan Africa has grown rapidly. The ubiquity of mobile phones in rural livestock communities is thought to “transform” or “revolutionize” the way different social groups interact as they manage social, political and environmental challenges to their livelihood strategies. This research among pastoralists in Kenya examines the political, economic, ecological and socio-spatial contexts in which mobile phones are used and places these contexts within pre-existing resource struggles in order to understand the prevalence of mobile phone use among pastoralists. Results indicate that, while the use of mobile phones for herding is widespread, the extent and efficacy of information sharing is strongly influenced by pre-existing social struggles to gain access to prohibited grazing locations.