Many Tama are subsistence farmers who live in permanent settlements and some raise livestock. In the civil war in Chad (2005–2010) the Tama were involved in ethnic conflicts with the Zaghawa tribe.
Many Tama are self-sufficient farmers who reside in permanent villages, and some keep animals. During the civil war in Chad (2005–2010), the Tama were entangled in ethnic disputes with the Zaghawa tribe.