This issue of Joto Afrika focuses on adapting pastoralism to climate change in Africa, providing research findings and case studies on coping strategies, such as grazing management and livestock insurance. Pastoralism contributes significantly to African economies but climate change is posing challenges by increasing droughts and changing land availability; the document discusses ways to enhance pastoralist resilience through policies, disaster risk reduction, and building adaptive capacity.

1. jotoafrika
adapting to climate
Issue 7 August 2011 change in Africa
CONTENTS
The future of pastoralism in a changing
The future of pastoralism
in a changing climate
climate 1
Adapting pastoralism to a changing
climate 2
Coping with drought in Niger 3
Grazing management as an adaptation
Editorial
measure 4 This issue of Joto Afrika provides research
Using Mbororo herders’ traditional findings, lessons learnt and success stories
knowledge 5 from across Africa.
Vulnerability in Ethiopia's pastoral Pastoralism is a free-range livestock
communities 6 production system. It is practised in all Key messages include:
Letters to the editor 7 of Africa’s dryland regions, and in some
Livestock insurance in northern Kenya 8 communities it is the main source of food Recognise the multiple processes and
security and income. But will pastoralism stressors that govern the vulnerability
survive in the changing climate? of pastoralists to climate change.
Pastoralists are suffering from the effects
About Joto Afrika of climate change; policy makers and
Joto Afrika is a series of printed briefings and Statistics from African Union’s policy
framework for pastoralism (2010) show that development agencies must be sensitive
online resources about adapting to climate to this. They should also respond to the
change in sub-Saharan Africa. The series there are 268 million pastoralists. They live
other non-climate stressors that affect
will help people understand the issues, and move on 43 percent of Africa’s land
pastoralism.
constraints and opportunities that poor people mass and contribute between 10 to 44 per
face in adapting to climate change and cent of the Gross Domestic Product in the Protect pastoral land and enhance
escaping poverty. countries that they live in. the mobility of pastoralists and their
livestock. Pastoralists have coped with
Pastoralism has immense potential for climate stressors for a long time, using
Joto Afrika is Swahili; it can be loosely
reducing poverty, generating economic mobility strategies for the sustainable
translated to mean ‘Africa is feeling the heat’. management of dryland vegetation and
The next issue will focus on climate change growth, managing the environment,
promoting sustainable development, and water resources. This strategy needs to
and energy. be enhanced through appropriate land-
building climate resilience. The 2010 African
use policy frameworks.
Please tell us what you think about this Union’s policy framework recognised this
seventh issue of Joto Afrika and what you importance. Consider index-based livestock
would like to read about in future issues - insurance schemes as one of the
contact details are on page 8. But despite these positive aspects, strategies for protecting livestock
pastoralists are experiencing rapid changes keepers against climate risks. Lessons
in their environment and welfare as a result coming from pilot livestock insurance
of the changing climate. The incidences of schemes should be considered before
severe, back-to-back droughts are rising, repeating and up-scaling.
resulting in the deaths of large livestock
Invest in building the capacity of
numbers as pastures and water sources
pastoralists. Education and training
dry out. In addition, human populations programmes enhance pastoralists’
and settlements are increasing, taking up skills and help them to diversify
traditional grazing areas and competing their enterprises, improve resource
for water resources. Pastoralists are also management, and take up employment
suffering from occasional but severe floods. opportunities. These must be
strengthened through appropriate financial
Such upheavals are taking place under support and policy interventions.
an inadequately developed service
infrastructure, with poor market linkages and Eric Kisiangani
weak, unprepared institutions. Pastoralists Climate Change Adaptation Unit, Practical
are becoming increasingly marginalised. Action Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel +254 710712752
The future of pastoralism in the changing eric.kisiangani@practicalaction.or.ke
climate is the subject of national and global ekisia@gmail.com
discussions. The concerns are catalysing the
scientific community to generate knowledge Mahmoud Abdel Aziz
and share experiences and best practices Department of Animal Production, Alexandria
Women in search for pasture and water for their University, Egypt
animals in Kyuso, Kenya. © Kimathi Tony, 2011 that may offer solutions for the survival
of pastoralism and the millions of people Tel +966 50 871 6707
dependant on this livelihood. Fassad9@yahoo.com
mabdelaziz@kfu.edu.sa

2. Adapting
pastoralism to a
changing climate
Research summary
Enclosures made of dried twigs and stones protect small ruminants
from the scorching sun in Kenya’s Chalbi Desert. © Oseni Saidu
Pastoralism is complex; it seeks to Pastoral systems contribute significantly Saidu Oseni
maintain a balance between pastures, to national and regional economies, START African Climate Change Fellow,
livestock and people, in uncertain with many countries exporting meat and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
and variable environments, where other livestock products. Pastoralists Nigeria
alternative land uses are risky. The also maintain cooperative and economic soseni@yahoo.co.uk
increased frequency of extreme weather relations with settled communities along
events in the tropics – especially floods their mobile routes. Bockline Bebe
and droughts – may overwhelm the Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton
existing resilience of pastoral systems. Intervention strategies University, Njoro, Kenya
This raises questions about their With respect to climate change adaptation, obebeb@yahoo.com
sustainability. intervention strategies to support
pastoralists should be geared towards This work on pastoralism and climate
Climate change and climate variability are building adaptive capacity and resilience change adaptation was supported through
creating increasingly vulnerable conditions in in pastoral communities, through the the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa
fragile pastoral ecosystems. Changes in land following steps: (CCAA) programme, funded by the DFID
tenure and agriculture, and sedenterisation and the IDRC, with coordination by START,
(the settling of groups), are also fracturing develop policies that provide Washington, DC.
large-scale pastoral ecosystems into isolated pastoralists with opportunities to
systems. practice mobile livelihoods
enhance and secure pastoralists’
Debates about pastoralists access to strategic resources – See also
essential if they are to respond
Two opinions prevail about the impacts Vulnerability of worldwide
effectively to climate change
of climate change on pastoralists. Some reverse policies that contribute to their pastoralism to global changes
experts argue that pastoralists will be among marginalisation, such as forced settling and interdisciplinary strategies
the first groups to lose their livelihoods, as give pastoralists opportunities to to sustainable pastoralism, by S.
rangelands and water points dry up. Others participate in decision-making for Dong, L. Wen, S. Liu, X. Zhang, J.P.
insist that pastoralists are the best equipped policies that are connected to their Lassoie, S. Yi, X. Li, J. Li and Y. Li,
to adapt to climate change, since their livelihood Ecology & Society 16(2):10, 2011
livelihood strategies are honed to respond promote pastoralists’ resilience to
to scarce and variable natural resources, droughts by developing livestock Pastoralism Information Note 5.
and to cope with uncertain agro-ecological markets, defending communal land Pastoralism and Climate Change, by
tenure, good governance and respect J. Morton, Natural Resources Institute,
conditions.
for pastoral rights University of Greenwich, 2010
scale-up and fully implement livestock http://bit.ly/nPyOqy
Furthermore, these authors argue that disaster insurance schemes for
pastoralists’ adaptation capacities have been pastoralists: this can prevent a Index-based livestock insurance.
eroded as a result of their historical and downward slide of vulnerable pastoral Protecting pastoralists against
social marginalisation. They conclude that populations due to climate threats mortality loss due to severe forage
their vulnerability to climate change is more research appropriate dissemination scarcity, by A. Mude, International
a consequence of this marginalisation, rather pathways for climate information and Conference on ‘The Future of
than climate impacts. The threats of climate climate impacts to pastoralists and Pastoralism in Africa’, Addis Ababa,
change are seen as related to the diminishing stakeholders, involved in policy-making
21–23 March 2011.
capacity of pastoralists to use their adaptive and service provision.
capacities.
So climate change is a double-edged
sword; it focuses attention on the potential
catastrophes facing pastoral areas, but may
also distract attention from the policy and
Talk to us
governance problems that hinder pastoral Please tell us what you think about this
development, and also prevent pastoralists seventh issue of Joto Afrika and what
from adapting to climate change. you would like to read in future
issues – contact details are on page 8.
This marginalisation is partly because the true
value of pastoralism is poorly understood. The next issue will focus on energy.
Several authors have described a detailed
evaluation procedure, which identifies
pastoralism as the dry lands’ ‘invisible asset’.
Page 2

3. Coping with
drought in Niger
Research summary
A pastoral boy herds cattle in south-west Niger. © Stevie Mann
(ILRI), 2005
Livestock are a store of wealth for Some people eat less, giving priority Investment in index-based livestock
pastoralists, and play an important to children under 5 years, pregnant insurance schemes will minimise the
role in drought mitigation and risk- women and nursing mothers. risks faced by pastoralists during
coping strategies. However, droughts of Some families send members to work droughts.
increasing frequency and severity are elsewhere, especially in urban centres,
threatening the pastoralist way of life. and in neighbouring countries including Augustine A. Ayantunde
Nigeria and Benin. ILRI, B.P. 320, Bamako, Mali
Pastoralism and agro-pastoralism are the Pastoralists rely more on assistance Tel +223 20223375
dominant livestock production systems in from family and close relations in the a.ayantunde@cgiar.org
most parts of sub-Saharan Africa’s arid community who are relatively rich, and
and semi-arid zones. But grazing lands those in the urban centres. This article is a product of a project on
are being lost due to drought, increasing Some engage in small-scale trade, for reducing vulnerability to droughts in
population pressure and restricted access example selling or bartering livestock agropastoral and pastoral systems in East
to land. This is forcing more and more for grain. and West Africa, funded by the Systemwide
pastoralists to settle and grow crops, Families delay major expenses, like Livestock Programme.
resulting in considerable reduction in marriage and schooling, until the
grazing lands. drought is over.
Coping strategies Lessons learned
The International Livestock Research The survey data confirmed the effects
Institute (ILRI), in collaboration of climate change on pastoralists’
with partners, analysed the coping livelihoods. It is important that researchers,
mechanisms of Fulani pastoralists in policymakers and other stakeholders
Tillabery, Maradi and Zinder regions, recognise the multiple processes and
pastoral and agro-pastoral zones in Niger. stresses that increase their vulnerability.
The project considered the roles of poor There are several initiatives that could
pastoralist and agro-pastoralist producers improve community responses to drought:
and associations, non-governmental
organisations, donor organisations, The management of grain and feed
researchers and policy makers. banks should be improved at household
level.
The project identified technical, policy and Improved market access, especially
institutional intervention options that could for food crops, would enable more
reduce the vulnerability of livestock and livestock–grain exchanges during
Subscribe to
their keepers to climatic shocks, particularly drought.
drought. This involved collecting and The enhancement of livestock mobility,
sharing available knowledge on current through the integration of existing
climate change and identifying potential risk
management and coping options.
regional and national policies on
livestock into local conventions. Joto Afrika
Illegal levies, imposed by local authorities
One coping mechanism is the sale of live for the passage and grazing of herds,
animals during drought to buy grains for should be removed; these contravene laws Organisations and individuals in Africa
household consumption. The animals sold that guarantee livestock mobility. can receive a free printed copy of
are mainly males, but breeding females are the briefings. Each issue will also be
sometimes sold in severe droughts. This available on the ALIN website (www.
makes herd reconstitution after a drought alin.net).
much more difficult. Pastoralists also sell
fresh milk and processed milk products. See also You can subscribe by sending an
email to jotoafrica@alin.net. Please
Identifying livestock-based risk include your organisation and your full
The data collected shows that livestock
management and coping options to postal address. You can also subscribe
play an important role in the resilience
reduce vulnerability to droughts in and send feedback via SMS, to
of poor pastoral communities in Niger.
agro-pastoral and pastoral systems +254717032322 and start with the word
But communities have other coping
in East and West Africa (2007–2009). Joto.
mechanisms as well.
http://bit.ly/mT9THN
They collect wild plants for food, such
as wild millet varieties, the grains of
grasses including Cenchrus biflorus,
and some fruits.
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