Pastoralists: moving with the times?

Exceptionally dry conditions in the Horn of Africa have led to a severe shortage of water and pasture for livestock

With children severely malnourished, animals weak or dying, and people struggling to find water, exceptionally dry conditions in the Horn of Africa have added to the cumulative effect of three to four consecutive seasons of poor or failed rains. Severe shortages of pasture and water, combined with high food prices, have left an estimated 24 million people in the region currently food insecure. For the many pastoralists affected, the drought is the worst in living memory.

The situation in northern Kenya and beyond is evidence to some that pastoralists will be among the most vulnerable groups affected by climate change as rangelands and water sources dry up. But others ascertain that, as pastoralists have traditionally evolved to cope with scarce resources and uncertain agro-ecological conditions, they are well-suited to adapt to their changing environment.