Livestock Trader Entrepreneurs among Urban Bedouin in the Negev Desert

Abstract

There are more than 150,000 Bedouin in the Negev Desert. Traditionally they were nomadic pastoralists relying on camels, sheep and goats for their livelihood; today about half the population lives in urban communities. Most urban Bedouin men have entered the wage labour market and have abandoned raising livestock. Nonetheless, of close to 1,300 registered flocks, about 15% are owned by urban households, and the Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the figure should be close to 50%. In Tel Sheva, a Bedouin town of 14,000 inhabitants, there are 17 registered flocks and about 15% of the households maintain sheep and/or goats. In addition, 111 livestock trader entrepreneurs are active, dealing mainly with sheep and, to a lesser extent, goats and cattle. Sheep and goats are bought mainly from Bedouin, while cattle are bought mainly from Jewish settlements. There are 16 large livestock traders, all men, who trade throughout the year; for seven of them, livestock trading is their main occupation. These traders generally do not attend weekly markets but do their transactions from home. Thirteen of these traders deal mainly with sheep and goats and can handle upwards of 200 head at a time, while three of them deal primarily with cattle, supplying them mainly for wedding celebrations. There are 75 small livestock traders, five of whom are women. These traders handle mainly small numbers of sheep and goats all year round and often buy and sell at the local markets. In addition, there are 20 opportunist traders, all men, who handle sheep periodically, in particular at Eid ul-Adha when most Muslim families sacrifice an animal. The future of most Bedouin would appear to lie in integration into the Israeli urban economy while attempting to maintain cultural traditions. The use of sheep and other livestock for traditional purposes will continue to play an important role.