The Pastoralist Survey Method (PSM) and its application in Mali and Ethiopia

The guidelines for conducting anthropometric nutrition assessments among sedentary populations are inappropriate for pastoralists.

The Pastoralist Survey Method (PSM) comprises two phases. The qualitative phase draws on key informants to develop an understanding of identifiable groups of households moving together with their livestock (troupes), and of how they are socially or geographically organised (organising factors). The quantitative phase resembles a two-stage cluster design comparing information drawn from different sources and based on different methods to validate the qualitative data.