Living on the Margins: Livelihood Strategies of Bedouin Herd-Owners in the Northern Negev, 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 sociocultural 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.