Misereor’s pastoral development orientation framework: focus on Ethiopia

On Tuesday 24 September 2019, at the Social and Development Coordination Annual Meeting of the Ethiopian Catholic Church , MISEREOR — the development agency of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference — presented its Pastoral Development Orientation Framework for working with small-scale producers in pastoral systems in Ethiopia. It was a joint launch with the Ethiopian Catholic Church, which has endorsed the Orientation Framework for its own social development work with pastoralists.

MISEREOR supports development processes in Ethiopia since the 1960s. MISEREOR’s engagement with pastoralists in Ethiopia became a distinct focus during the drought of 2011/12, supporting the work of both Church-based development agencies and civil society organisations. The Orientation Framework is the result of over three years of dialogue, involving partners and pastoralists, as well as many of the key actors concerned with pastoral development in Ethiopia.

The Orientation Framework acknowledges that the scientific understanding of pastoralism has undergone a veritable U-turn from the principles that directed pastoral development for most of its existence. It acknowledges the mistakes of the past. It engages with pastoralists’ sophisticated knowledge, supporting the understanding of mobility as key strategy to increase livestock productivity.

The Orientation Framework sketches the way forward in an explorative and participatory way. The core principle is to strengthen pastoral systems, building on pastoralists’ own specialisation and expertise. The document is organised in three parts. The first concerns the understanding of pastoral systems in general and the context of pastoral development. The second part focuses on the experience of pastoral development in Ethiopia. The third part combines these lessons in light of MISEREOR’s approach to development in order to define six axes of activity to strengthen pastoral systems in Ethiopia: i. recognise and support their specialisation to use dryland variability for food production; ii. increase pastoralists’ options for targeting pasture resources; iii. create appropriate water supplies in strategic locations; iv. improve access to well-adapted services; v. support the understanding and visibility of pastoralism; and vi. promote dialogue in support of people-led pastoral development.

MISEREOR is the German Catholic Bishops’ Organisation for Development Cooperation. For over 60 years, it has been committed to combatting poverty in Africa, the Near East, Asia, Oceania and Latin America. It supports local development organisations in various sectors, with strong emphasis on people-led development and sustainable agriculture. MISEREOR seeks to benefit the poor, neglected and marginalised, irrespective of religion, gender, ethnicity or nationality. Missionary work is excluded by statute. MISEREOR has supported CELEP in the past few years and is involved in CELEP activities, including hosting the CELEP Annual General Meeting in 2014 at its headquarters in Aachen, Germany.

For further information, please contact Atsbaha Gebre-Selassie (atgselassie@yahoo.com), Tel +251911690217

Posted on 19 October 2019 in CELEP Documents, News, Pastoralism & Services, Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition, Value of Pastoralism