Who are we ? Jérôme MARIE Professor of Tropical Geography,  Doctorate in Geography, (French equivalent of Ph D.),  University of Rouen (1985). “Habilitation    à    diriger    des    recherches”    (French    state    qualification    for    supervision    of    doctoral research), University of Paris X Nanterre, (2000). 1972-1975 : Teacher of of History and Geography in high school. 1975-1977 : Assistant in Geography - University of Niamey - Niger. 1977-1980:  Teacher of History and Geography in high school. 1981-1983 :    Socio-economic    geographer    at    the    International    Livestock    Center    in    Africa/Centre International   Pour   l’Elevage   en   Afrique   (I.L.C.A./C.I.P.E.A)   in   Bamako   and   Addis   Ababa,   13th   Research Center   of   the   Consultative   Group   for   International Agricultural   Research   (C.G.I.A.R.).   Member   of   the   study team   of   ILCA   and   the   Livestock   Development   Operations   in   the   Mopti   Region   (ODEM)   on   Livestock Development   in   the   Inner   Niger   Delta.   Specific   responsibility:   Coordination   of   pastoral,   social,   and   land tenure studies, mapping land tenure in the Delta, edition of the study. 1984-1989:  Teacher of History and Geography in high school. 1989-2001:  Lecturer in Geography - University of PARIS 13,Villetaneuse. 1995-1998 :   Elected   Member   of   the   Scientific   Council      (dedicated   to   the   assessment   of   Research)   of   the University of Paris 13. 1995- 1999:  2 nd  Vice-President of the National Council of Universities (C.N.U.) - 23 rd section. 1997-1999:    On   leave   for   full-time   research   at   the   National   Center   for   Scientific   Research   (C.N.R.S),   at the      GEOSYSTEMS   laboratory   (Mixed   Research   Unit   6554)   -European   Maritime   University   Institute   - University of Western Brittany- IUEM / UBO - 29 280 PLOUZANE ,  directed by François CUQ. 2001-2008 :    Professor    of    Geography    -    University    of    PARIS    X    -    Nanterre.    Head    of    the    DEA programme)   (equivalent   to   an   M.Phil   )"Geography   and   Development   Practice"   (Paris   X,   Paris   I   -   INA-PG) (2001-2005)   and   the   Master   ‘s   programme   "Globalization   et   comparative   rural   dynamics"   (Paris   X-INA- PG) (2005-2008). Since 2008: retired. Pierre Henri Yves HIERNAUX Agricultural   engineer   (Ecole   Nationale   Supérieure   d'Agronomie   de   Montpellier,   1970)   and   PhD   in ecology (University of Science and Techniques of Languedoc, Montpellier 1975) 1972-1980:    Civil   service   at   the   Institute   of   Ecology   of   the   University   of   Abidjan   (Côte   d'Ivoire)   then C.N.R.S.    research    assistant    of    at    the    Phyto-Ecological    Studies    Center    Louis-Emberger,    C.E.P.E., Montpellier. 1980-1994:   Researcher   at   C.I.P.E.A./I.L.C.A.   based   at   the   Institute   of   Rural   Economy,   (I.E.R.),   Niono and Bamako, Mali 1994-2002:    Researcher   at   International   Livestock   Research   Institute   (ILRI,   Nairobi,   Kenya)   based   in the   Sahelian   Center   of   the   International   Crop   Research   Institute   for   the   Semi-Arid   Tropics   (ICRISAT)   in Niamey, Niger 2004-2002:    Visiting   Professor   at   the   Institute   for   Animal   Nutrition   in   the   Tropics   and   Subtropics (Tropenzentrum) of the University of Hohenheim (Germany) 2004-2009:    Researcher    at    the    Paul    Sabatier    University    (Toulouse)    at    CESBIO,    Center    for    Space Studies of the Biosphere (C.E.S.B.I.O) 2009-2014:     Researcher    for    the        C.N.R.S.    at    the    «Géoscience    Environnement   Toulouse»    (G.E.T.) laboratory in Toulouse 2014-2017:    Retired,   self-entrepreneur   consultant   ("Pastoc",   30   chemin   de   Jouanal   82160,   Caylus, France), member of the French Scientific Committee on Desertification (C.S.F.D.).