Profits on the Move: The Economics of Collective Migration among the Raika Shepherds in India

This article examines the question why raika migrant shepherds in Western India travel collectively during the annual movement cycles rather than as individual households. The answer hinges on economies of scale that collective mobility makes available to shepherds, but even more significantly on the ways in which collective movement allows shepherds to address security risks in an uncertain and transient environment. In exploring the economic benefits of collective migration, the article presents fresh evidence on the ways in which participation in markets is crucial to the survival of migrant pastoralism among the raikas. The substantial literature on mobility among pastoralists has enhanced our understanding of the many reasons behind mobility. This article addresses an important aspect of migratory strategies by focusing on why and under what conditions mobile populations might select a collective strategy rather than one that is individually oriented.