Changes in the arid lands in Kenya, Ethiopia & Somaliland

The Red Cross, Save the Children and Oxfam commissioned a study into how changes are affecting pastoralists’ lives in Somali Region of Ethiopia, Somaliland and the Turkana area of Kenya and what their hopes and expectations are in the coming ten years. All pastoralist groups were agreed that formal education is the primary means by which they and their children will reach their aspirations. Most of the youth and children aspired for non-pastoral futures. The more settled adults  looked to commerce as a way of generating more income. Women in the pastoralist societies appear to be increasingly willing to take on professional careers and to manage businesses. Livestock continue to be important, but other complementary sources of income are being and will be pursued increasingly. The key question that came out of the study for the commissioning organisations is: “Are we programming based on past assumptions”? The report Changes in the arid lands: the expanding rangeland – regional synthesis report and case studies from Kenya, Ethiopia and Somaliland (54pp) can be found under http://www.preventionweb.net/files/36160_interagencyreportaridlandsv21.pdf

Posted on 26 February 2014 in Pastoralism & Services, Pastoralism, Gender & Youth, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition