Managing herds and households: management practices and livelihood strategies of sheep owning Bedouin households in the Negev region of Israel

Information collected on herding practices and economic activities of nine Bedouin
households is used to define livelihood strategies and examine their economic viability.
Large variations found in herding practices and other means of subsistence are a response to
external policies and constraints which limit herding space and sources of income. Differential
access to resources and different socio-cultural norms are important factors.
The identification and analysis of different livelihood strategies is a useful point of departure
for discussing the development of Bedouin herding in the Negev and for formulating policy that is
more effective and empathetic.