Fulani Women Research Articles

Microorganisms associated with milk spoilage in Southeastern Nigeria

Commercially canned pasteurized and unpasteurized milks obtained from Fulani women were exposed to adverse condition, which caused them to become contaminated. The pH of pasteurized milk ranged from 4.5 to 7.2 with a mean of 5.9, while that obtained from the Fulani woman (unpasteurized milk) ranged from 4.5 to 6.6 with a mean of 5.6. The plate counts of the pasteurized milk had an average count of 1.15x105 while that of unpasteurized milk was 2.27x105. The microorganisms isolated from the two samples included Streptococcus spp Lactobacillus spp, Bacillus spp, Pseudomonas spp, Sptaptylococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Clostridium spp and Shigella spp. Adequate pasteurization at the right temperature is necessary before the milk reaches the final consumers and will generally reduce the number of bacteria in milk. Keywords: Milk, pasteurized, microorganisms, fermented, mammals > Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 228-230

Income Generating Activities of Fulani Women in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State

KEYWORDS Income; generating activities. women ABSTRACT This study was carried out to investigate the income generating activities of Fulani women in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State. Other variables considered include their personal characteristics and assessment of effect of income generating activities of Fulani women on their standard of living. Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty Fulani women for the study. Data was collected with the aid of structured interview schedule. Frequency counts and percentages were used to describe the data while Chi-square was used as inferential statistical tool. The result revealed that most 56.7% of the Fulani women are within age range of 30 and 40 years, most married (83.3%), predominantly Muslims and majority of them are cattle rearer. The most prominent income generating activities of Fulani women is milk processing, followed by mat weaving and hired labour. The result further revealed that none of the Fulani women's personal characteristics such as age, marital status, marriage pattern, household size, education and religion affect or influenced their income generating activities. It is therefore recommended that Fulani would should be organized into group for training on other income generating activities by extension institutions in order to broaden their horizon of income generating activities.

Trans fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids in the milk of urban women and nomadic Fulani of northern Nigeria

Background Trans fatty acids (TFAs) and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) are present in dairy products and human milk and can have detrimental and beneficial effects in humans. The content of TFAs and CLAs in milk is determined largely by the diet of the mother. Methods We compared the proportions of TFAs and CLAs in the milk of rural Fulani in northern Nigeria who consume dairy products to that of women living in an urban center who consume little in the way of dairy products. Lactating Fulani women ( n = 41) and women residing in the city of Jos, Nigeria ( n = 41) were recruited into the study. We predicted that the milk of the Fulani pastoralists would contain higher amounts of TFAs and CLAs compared to their urban counterparts. Results The mean total TFA proportions for the Fulani and urban women were 0.22% and 0.34%, respectively, and were not significantly different. The percentages of CLAs in milk fat were not different between rural and urban women (0.16% vs 0.14%). These TFA and CLA values were 4- to 10-fold lower than for milk of women elsewhere in the world. Conclusions The percentages of TFAs and CLAs in milk were not different between rural and urban dwellers in northern Nigeria whose diets differ greatly in the amounts of dairy products they contain. However, the fact that the percentages of TFAs and CLAs in the milk of Nigerian women were much lower than the percentages reported from other parts of the world may have implications for the long-term growth and development of infants in the northern Nigeria and elsewhere in the Western Sahel.

Seasonal Differences Of The Nutrient Content Of The Milk Of The Cows Of Fulani Pastoralist In Northern Nigeria

The Fulani are semi-nomadic pastoralist who inhabited western Sahel from Mauritania and Senegal across Mali, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Niger and Northern Nigeria to Chad. Their culture is centred around cattle and dairy products contribute substantially to the diets of Fulani children and adults. Having found in previous study that the milk fat of lactating Fulani women contained relatively low proportions of critical n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid and the essential fatty-acid, linoleic acid, we were interested in the general issue of the nutrient quality of the milk of Fulani cows and specifically in the question of the essential fatty acid and n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the milk fat they produce. Since the pasture upon which Fulani cattle graze varies markedly between the two main seasons in the western Sahel, namely the cold-dry season (November-April) and the rainy season (May-September) we collected milk samples from seven cows during April and from another four cows during the month of August and analyzed these milk specimens for their content of fatty acids, amino acids, and minerals and trace elements. We found significant season-dependent differences in the linoleic acid content of the milk lipid fraction; the proportion of linoleic acid in milk produced during the cold-dry season was 2.19% whereas that of cow milk during the rainy season was 0.65% (p

Mineral Content Of The Milk Of Fulani Women And The Sera Of Their Breast-Fed Infants

Objectives: TO evaluate the mineral and trace element content of breast milk of the Fulani of Nigeria with respect to levels obtained with sera from Fulani mother baby pairs. Methods: We obtained milk and serum from 34 Fulani mother –infant pairs. The samples were collected through bimanual expression midway through feeding .The age, height, weight, skin –fold thickened, parity, and information regarding the general state of health of each subject were recorded. Following collection, milk and serum specimens were liquated in to 1.5ml cryovials and stored at 20 o m until which time they were analysed. Results: The levels of calcium, chromium, copper , iron, magnesium ,manganese ,and zinc in the milk were within or exceeded the range of values reported for other populations world wide and were comparable to those of the United States. Copper, zinc ,iron, and calcium decreased in concentration by 550-75% over the first six month postgestation . copper and iron displayed a positive correction between their maternal sera and milk concentrations. No significant positive correction were observed between minerals in milk and the sera of nursing infants, in fact, a negative correction was observed with copper levels of those fluids. Further more , high milk concentration of zinc appeared to antagonize the absorption of copper in the breast –fed infants. Conclusion: These finding indicate that the milk of Fulani women provides sufficient amounts of critical and trace elements to satisfy the needs of their exclusively breast-fed infant during the first six months of life. In addition, the concentration of each of these mineral in infant serum is not related to their respective levels in milk Key words: Human milk, trace element, minerals, Fulani, nutrition. Highland Medical Research Journal Vol.1(2) 2002: 6-11

Morbidity and nutrition patterns of three nomadic pastoralist communities of Chad

As a part of an interdisciplinary research and action programme, morbidity and nutritional patterns were assessed in three nomadic communities: Fulani and Arab cattle breeders and Arab camel breeders, of two prefectures in Chad. The predominant morbidity pattern of Chadian nomadic pastoralists (representing approximately 10% of the total population of the country) had not been documented so far. A total of 1092 women, men and children was examined by a physician and interviewed during two surveys in the dry season and one in the wet season (1999–2000). Participants with no complaint were rare. Pulmonary disorders (e.g. bronchitis) were most often diagnosed for children under 5 years of age. Of the adult participants, 4.6% were suspected of tuberculosis. Febrile diarrhoea occurred more often during the wet season when access to clean drinking water was precarious. Malaria was only rarely clinically diagnosed among Arabs during the dry season, whereas Fulani, who stayed in the vicinity of Lake Chad, were also affected during this period. A 24-h dietary recall showed that less Arab women than men consumed milk during the dry season (66% versus 92%). Malnutrition was only documented for 3 out of 328 children (0–14 years). Arab women in childbearing age had a higher proportion of children not surviving when compared to Fulani women (0.2 versus 0.07). This study identified several implications for reseach and interventions in nomadic settings. Innovative and integrated health services for nomads can possibly be extended to many settings as nomadic pastoralists have in common a similar way of life driven by the needs of their animals.

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diet of urban and rural dwellers in northern Nigeria.

Over the last 30 years, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including stroke and myocardial infarction, have increased in developing countries. Serum lipids and diet of the Fulani, a rural Nigerian population, were previously studied. Despite their consumption of a diet rich in saturated fat, the overall blood lipid profiles of Fulani men and women are generally favourable. However, Fulani males in the same study had mean serum levels of homocysteine, an emerging risk factor for CVD, that exceeded the upper limit of the homocysteine reference range. The authors were interested in knowing if these findings in the Fulani nomads were representative of the biochemical parameters of CVD risk in other ethnic groups in the same region of Nigeria. To address this question, the nutrient content of diets of 55 men, aged 20-75 years, and 77 women, aged 20-70 years, who were inhabitants of a large urban centre in northern Nigeria, was assessed, and their serum levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and homocysteine were determined. These data were compared with those of the same rural Fulani population studied previously. Urban subjects consumed more calories than rural subjects (men: 2061 vs 1691 kcal; women: 1833 vs 1505 kcal) and had a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat than rural subjects. Both urban males and females had carbohydrate intakes that were greater than those of Fulani pastoralists (men: 56% vs 33% total calories; women: 51% vs 38% total calories), but had a significantly lower dietary intake of total fat and saturated fat (men: 36% vs 51% of total calories; women: 40% vs 51% of total calories). With the exception of HDL-cholesterol levels, which were significantly lower in the rural population, the blood lipid profiles of rural subjects were more favourable compared to those of urban subjects. Both urban and rural males had homocysteine levels above the upper limit of the reference range for healthy adults (urban males--12.7 micromol/L; rural males-15.2 micromol/L). The dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B12 were lower for rural Fulani subjects, and this was reflected in their significantly lower serum concentrations of these two vitamins. Results of this study suggest that, although the lipid profiles of urban and rural men and women in northern Nigeria indicate a relatively low risk for CVD, their elevated serum homocysteine levels are a cause for concern. The high homocysteine levels among rural men and women could be explained in part at least by their marginal status with respect to folate and vitamin B12.

Constancy of the fluidity of the milk lipids of three different human populations

Maintaining a proper fluid character of human milk requires that the triglycerides be liquid. The mean melting points (MMPs) of milk lipids were determined using the mol percentages and melting points of the constituent fatty acids of the lipids in milk from three different ethnic groups in Nigeria and Nepal. The MMPs of the milk lipids of Fulani (n = 34) and Kanuri (n = 89) women in northern Nigeria and Nepalese women (n = 48) were 35.4°C, 35.5°C, and 35.8°C, respectively (mean, 35.6°C). We also tested the correlation between MMP and the mol% of individual fatty acids. The strongest correlations were observed with lauric acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and arachidonic acid. The results indicate that the fluidity of the lipid fraction of milk is maintained at 2–3°C below normal body temperature and raises interesting questions about the mechanism(s) by which the mammary gland regulates the fatty acid composition of the triglycerides it produces and secretes into milk.

Cardiovascular disease risk factors and diet of Fulani pastoralists of northern Nigeria

The Fulani of northern Nigeria are seminomadic pastoralists who consume a diet rich in saturated fats, do not use tobacco, are lean, and have an active lifestyle. Little is known about their serum lipid profiles and corresponding risk of cardiovascular disease. We measured serum lipid, homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B-12 concentrations in Fulani men and women and assessed the nutrient content of their diet. Blood samples from 42 men (18-64 y old) and 79 women (15-77 y old) living in the Jos Plateau of Nigeria were analyzed for cholesterol (total, HDL, and LDL), triacylglycerol, homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B-12 serum concentrations. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Dietary information was obtained with use of a 7-d dietary recall and a food-frequency questionnaire. Results were compared with US referent ranges. The mean energy content of the Fulani diet was relatively low (men, 6980 kJ; women, 6213 kJ) and the mean protein content was high (men, 20% of energy; women, 16% of energy). Nearly one-half of energy was provided by fat, and one-half of that was derived from saturated fatty acids. The diet provided marginal to adequate amounts of vitamins B-12, B-6, and C but only one-third of the US recommended dietary allowance for folate. The mean total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triacylglycerol concentrations of Fulani adults were within the referent ranges; the mean LDL-cholesterol concentration of Fulani adults below the range; and the mean serum homocysteine concentration of Fulani men above the range. Homocysteine and folate concentrations were inversely correlated for both men and women. Despite a diet high in saturated fat, Fulani adults have a lipid profile indicative of a low risk of cardiovascular disease. This finding is likely due to their high activity level and their low total energy intake.

Antioxidant content of the milk of Nigerian women and the sera of their exclusively breast-fed infants

The content of many nutrients in breast milk are dependent on the nutritional status of the lactating woman. This is particularly true for fat and water-soluble vitamins, some of which have antioxidant properties. We have previously reported that the total antioxidant content of the milk of women residing in different regions of the developing world varies significantly. In this report we describe the relationship between the antioxidant status of lactating women and their exclusively breast-fed infants from different ethnic groups in Nigeria and the antioxidant content of breast milk. The total antioxidant content of milk from 47 Nigerian women (32 Fulani, 8 Ibo, 3 Yoruba and 4 other ethnic groups) was determined using the Randox ® assay. Maternal and infant serum total antioxidant activity were also measured using the same assay. The milk of the Fulani women contained significantly lower antioxidant capacity than the milk from the other ethnic groups (1.1 mmol/L vs. 3.1 mmol/L, p = <0.001). The antioxidant content in the serum of the Fulani women and their exclusively breast-fed infants was also significantly lower that the other non-Fulani subjects. For the combined subjects there was a significant correlation between the maternal antioxidant status and the antioxidant content of breast milk ( p < 0.001, r = 0.62) and between the infant antioxidant status and milk ( p < 0.001, r = 0.77). The maternal and infant serum antioxidant levels were also significantly correlated ( p < 0.001, r = 0.74). These data suggest that the antioxidant status of exclusively breast-fed infants is dependent on the antioxidant status of their mothers.

Fatty acid composition of the milk lipids of Fulani women and the serum phospholipids of their exclusively breast-fed infants

We previously reported that, relative to milk of women elsewhere in the world, the lipid fraction of milk of Fulani women in northern Nigeria contained relatively low proportions of alpha-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This led us to question the essential fatty acid status of Fulani infants and the relation between the proportion of critical n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in the serum phospholipids of the mothers, their milk, and the serum phospholipids of their exclusively breast-fed infants. We were also interested in the effect de novo intermediate chain length-fatty acids (C10-C14) had on the proportions of critical and non-essential fatty acids in milk. Capillary gas-liquid chromatography was used to analyze the fatty acid content of the total milk lipids of 34 Fulani women, as well as the fatty acid content of serum phospholipids of the women and their breast-fed infants during the first 6 months of life. The proportions of critical n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in the milk of the Fulani women were adequate, but the proportions of these same fatty acids were low in their exclusively breast-fed infants. The serum phospholipids of the infants contained 18.8% linoleic acid, 0.13% alpha-linolenic acid, 12.8% arachidonic acid, and 3.40% DHA, whereas, the mean percentages of linoleic, alpha-linolenic, arachidonic and DHA in the serum phospholipids of the Fulani mothers' were 21.4, 0.20, 9.79, and 1.97, respectively. There was a strong positive correlation between fatty acid content of serum phospholipids of Fulani women and the fatty acid content of their milk lipids. As the proportion of C10-C14 fatty acids in the milk lipids increased, the proportions of critical n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in milk remained relatively constant; however, proportions of three non-essential fatty acids decreased dramatically. C10-C14 fatty acids do not appear to displace critical n-3 and n-6 fatty acids in milk.

Correlation between the content of intermediate chain-length fatty acids and copper in the milk of Fulani women

Intermediate chain-length fatty acids (C10-C14) in human milk triglycerides provide an easily absorbable fuel that provide a significant amount of the energy needed for growth during the first few months of life. The C10-C14 fatty acid and trace mineral content of human milk is variable. In this report we examined the relationship between the content of calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc, and the weight percentage of C10-C14 fatty acids in milk from 33 Fulani women in northern Nigeria between 2 and 24 weeks post-gestation. The milk from these women contained proportions of C10-C14 fatty acids that were comparable to those reported for other populations around the world, as were the concentrations of Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Zn and P. Significant correlations were observed between the milk content of Cu and the wt% of C10 (P=0.005, r=0.475), C12 (P=0.001, r=0.539), C14 (P=0.44, r=0.352) and the total intermediate chain-length fatty acids (P=0.008, r=0.450). No correlations were observed between these fatty acids and any of the other five minerals. We speculate that the relationship between Cu and fatty acids could be related to a requirement for Cu by an enzyme required for C10-C14 fatty acid biosynthesis (e.g. decanoyl deacylase) in mammary tissue, or to some unique Cu binding properties of the intermediate chain length fatty acids.

Rethinking Pastoralism in Africa: Gender, Culture, and the Myth of the Patriarchal Pastoralist

Introduction - gender, culture and the myth of the patriarchal pastoralist, Dorothy I. Hodgson. Part 1 Making culture: gender and material culture in West Pokot, Kenya, Barbara Bianco gender, ethnicity and social aesthetics in Maasai and Okiek beadwork, Corinne Kratz and Donna Pido women and men of the Khoekhoen of Southern Africa, Andrew B. Smith and Lita Webley. Part 2 Domains of power: pastoralism, patriarchy and history among Maasai in Tanganyika, 1890-1940, Dorothy L. Hodgson women's roles in peacemaking in Somali society, Asha Hagi Elmi et al gender, ethnographic myths and community-based conservation in a former Namibian homeland, Sian Sullivan. Part 3 Social relations: the fertility of houses and herds - producing kinship and gender among Turkana pastoralists, Vigdis Brich-Due exalted mothers - gender aging and postchildbearing experience in a Tuareg community, Susan Rasmussen. Part 4 Negotiating development and modernity: milk selling among Fulani women in northern Burkina Faso, Solveig Buhl and Katherine Homewood development ideologies and local knowledge among Samburu women in northern Kenya, Bilinda Straight pastoral disruption and cultural continuity in a pastoral town, M.I. Aguilar.

Fatty Acid Composition of Fulani ‘Butter Oil’ Made from Cow's Milk

Butter oil is the major cooking oil of the nomadic Fulani of the western Sahel of Africa. It is made from cow's milk and is consumed by all members of society, including pregnant women. In an effort to learn the reasons why the milk of Fulani women contains relatively low percentages of several nutritionally important fatty acids, linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in particular, we obtained butter oil in a local market in Kurra Falls, Nigeria and analyzed it for its fatty acid composition. Fatty acid analysis by gas–liquid chromatography revealed that while the butter oil purchased in a local market in Kurra Falls in northern Nigeria contained nutritionally adequate proportions of α -linolenic acid (1.09%), it was a poor source of linoleic acid (1.74%), DHA (0.03%) and arachidonic acid (0.14%). Since butter oil is the cooking oil that is most widely used by the Fulani, the low proportions of critical polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains helps explain the low levels of linoleic acid and DHA in the milk fat of lactating Fulani women. In addition, the low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in butter oil may ultimately have implications for the general nutrition and growth and development of infants who are exclusively breast-fed by Fulani mothers whose major dietary fat source is butter oil.

Content of lipid nutrients in the milk of Fulani women.

Little is known about the nutrition of the infants of the Fulani, migratory nomads of the western Sahel of Africa. Milk was collected from 18 Fulani women 10 to 30 days postpartum and the fatty acid compositions of the triacylglycerol and phospholipid fractions were determined by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. De novo fatty acids (10:0-14:0) comprised 36.3 +/- 12.7% of fatty acids of the triacylglycerols. Compared to the milk of various populations worldwide, the milk of the Fulani women contained adequate proportions of alpha-linolenic acid (0.50 +/- 0.16%) and arachidonic acid (0.42 +/- 0.22%), but relatively low amounts of linoleic acid (9.95 +/- 2.13%) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (0.15 +/- 0.08%). In addition, the milk of the Fulani women contained adequate concentrations of beta-carotene (1.58 +/- 0.69 micrograms/dl) and vitamin A (42.7 +/- 40.3 micrograms/dl), but very low levels of vitamin E (0.11 +/- 0.10 mg/dl). These data indicate that exclusively breasted infants of Fulani women were receiving relatively low amounts of critical fatty acids and vitamin E.

Improvement of cattle productivity through rapid alleviation of African animal trypanosomosis by integrated disease management practices in the agropastoral zone of Yalé, Burkina Faso.

Investigations to identify the causes of high mortalities in cattle in the agropastoral zone (ZAP) of Yalé started in March 1993. African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) was found to be the major constraint, with incidence rates exceeding 30%, justifying a tsetse control programme, which started in March/ April 1994. The treatment of all cattle at bimonthly intervals with deltamethrin 1% pour on and the display of 1500 insecticide impregnated targets during the 6 months of the dry season each year helped to reduce the tsetse populations (Glossina tachinoides and G. morsitans submorsitans) by more than 90%. In less than 7 months, the incidence of AAT dropped below 5% and remained there throughout the intervention until June 1996, in spite of an increase to 3 months in the interval between the treatments. Mean PCV values increased significantly from 26.5-30.9%, before, to 30.7-36.3% during the intervention. The improvement in the overall health resulted in a resumption in fertility and milk production, allowing the sale of dairy products in Léo, thus creating a gross income of about $US3/day for the Fulani women.

Increasing the utilization of cost-effective health services through changes in demand

Attaining efficiency in a health care system with a budget constraint involves increasing the utilization of the most cost-effective services. This can be achieved by adjustments to prices, cost curves, or demand curves. In this paper, the potential for demand curve adjustments is examined by selecting two apparently cost-effective services (prenatal care and childhood immunization against tuberculosis), and analyzing the factors explaining their utilization. Data from recent household surveys in Burkina Faso and Niger are used. A multivariate analysis of utilization employs income, price, and taste variables. Utilization is highly sensitive to the distance which must be travelled to the health facility, a price, and taste variables. Utilization is highly sensitive to the distance which must be travelled to the health facility, a price variable. Members of certain ethnic groups tend to use the services less, other things being equal. The importance of demand-side factors like ethnicity points to certain kinds of policy interventions like information, education and communication activities which could increase the utilization of cost-effective services.

A probable case of vertical transmission of Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae

A probable case of vertical transmission of Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae in Dass Bauchi State, Nigeria is presented. A 28-week-old male child delivered by a 39-year-old Fulani woman suffering from onchocerciasis was positive for O. volvulus microfilariae based on skin snip examinations. The child had general body pruritic rash and intermittent fever. Although the child's skin snip on re-examination five weeks later was also positive, the fever had gradually subsided.

Symbolic Structures: An Exploration of the Culture of the Dowayos.

Preface 1. The ethnographic background 2. Symbolism and the punctuation of culture 3. Some problems of the representational model of symbolism 4. The leopard cannot change his spots 5. Water and fertility 6. Tarniisnohgbarklele: 'the place where the old Fulani woman was beaten to death' 7. 'It is only thanks to me that you were circumcised' 8. The seasons of the year and the joker in the pack: relations of nesting and quotation Appendix: The festivals Notes Bibliography Index.

Fertility Control in Africa

Fertility control is examined in 2 pastoral societies in Africa: the Kipsigis and the Fulani. The Kipsigis have experienced considerable fertility change during the 20th century. Patterns have been less altered among the Fulani but recent drought and resettlement may have initiated changes that are not yet documented. The model of fertility regulation that can be constructed for most of tropical Africa contains elements of the broad cultural patterns that exist throughout the reion but these broad patterns contain significant local variations as demonstrated by examination of the Kipsigis and the Fulani. The Kipsigis live mainly in Kericho district Kenya. Together with the Nandi their present northern neighbors the Kipsigis probably migrated southward during times of drought and famine. Fertility among the traditional pastoral Kipsigis appears to have been well below its potential possibly averaging fewer than 5 children per woman. The most significant regulation mechanism was a late marriage age that was associated with the pastoral economy controlled by elderly men. Within marriage fertility levels were regulated by child spacing similar to that in West and Central Africa. In both instances fertility was designed to maintain a system of social and economic authority rather than to control population growth. The Fulani one of the most distinctive peoples of tropical Africa are basically cattle pastoralists and are scattered across the vast Sahel/savanna zone of West Africa. The Fulani share the African tradition of cultural preference for large families. Much of Fulani culture at 1 level of analysis seems to be oriented toward maximizing the desire for children. Almost all Fulani women marry. Marriage occurs at an early age between 15-16 years for women and between 20-25 years for men. Because women continue to attempt to bear children until menopause rather than cease upon becoming grandmothers Fulani women are in a potentially reproductive status for 25-30 years. The period of breastfeeding is long but there is no postpartum taboo beyond the 40 days specified in the Koran. Theoretically rates for the Fulani should be higher than those of other West African groups but that is not the case. A recent survey gave the average complete size of a Fulani family at 4.9 persons the lowest figure for any group in the country. A pastoral way of life forces spatial separation of spouses while the precarious and fragile physical environment of the Sahel and its effects on livestock produce stress that often leads to marital disruption and divorce. In addition sexually transmitted diseases cause sterility. These factors impede the realization of fertility aspirations. If the break from dependence on pastoralism signals a shift to a sedentary lifestyle fertility among the Fulani will probably increase. The Fulani have not been as affected by Westernization as have the Kipsigis. The Sahelian drought of 1968-74 set forces in motion in motion that may have longterm effects on Fulani demographic patterns.