These workshop proceedings give a full report of the papers presented at the IDRC/ILCA workshop on 'Pastoral Systems Research in sub-Saharan Africa' held at ILCA's headquarters from March 21 to 24, 1983. Papers presented in English are summarised in French, and vice versa. All discussion sessions at the workshop are summarised in both English and French. These proceedings give an introduction to pastoral systems research. A majority of papers focus on the survey and diagnostic stage of pastoral systems research, and include ILCA's experience of remote sensing techniques and aerial surveys, the survey of vegetation resources, livestock productivity and animal nutrition, pastoral production strategies, the importance of wealth effects, household studies and labour data collection and livestock marketing studies. Two papers focus on the scope for improvement in pastoral production and two case studies highlight the experimental design and testing procedures relevant to pastoral systems research. The final discussions at the workshop were related to the strengths and weaknesses of ILCA's approach to pastoral systems research, and how this approach might be improved.
