The sahelian regions are affected by several factors which are at the origin of the pressure on land resources: the sedentarisation of cattle breeders in a region more and more populated and of high density, the introduction of cash crop cultivation (cotton), speculation on market gardening and food crop production, etc. The goal of this study is to describe and analyse the social tension generated by the constraints and pressure on a rural space of high anthropisation in the Mandara Mountain. The study uses surveys, interviews with the population (farmers, rearers and return migrants) in villages as Mohour, Zamay, Mofou, Magoumaz, Tourou, at ten farmer’s organisations, follow up institutions of the population and the National Cotton development Corporation (SODECOTON). The results show that the hostile nature of the milieu and pressure on resources leads to conflicts and competition between farmers, rearers and agro-industrie. The consequences of this competition is the destruction of farmers plantations by rearers, the attacking of rearers by farmers, conflicts between return migrants and the population in place. This study suggests the creation of a negotiation body involving the state, the traditional chiefs and other actors for an equitable distribution of land.
Key words: Mandara Mountains, Sahelian zone, fragile zone, demographic pressure, land competition, land redistribution.