Pastoralism at Crossroads: Changing Features of Climate, Livelihood and Social Organization in East Africa

Abstract

Pastoral resilience in East Africa demonstrates its suitability to the arid and semi-arid environment which is characterized by low, variable rainfall pattern, high temperature and uneven distribution of grazing land and water points. Pastoralists have long developed successfully tested adaptive strategies against environmental shocks through effective management of their resources. Adaptive strategies include the establishment of strong economic and social support networks, herd splitting, and herd diversification. More recent strategies include resort to agriculture and sedentary life, trade and wage labour migrations. However, current trends in climate change have made pastoralists more prone to ecological calamities. Drought has never been new to the Afar pastoralists but its frequent occurrence has incapacitated pastoral innovation on adaptation and coping among the Afar.