BY TEWODROS KASSA
Currently, numerous pastoralists are being affected by the global climate change and drought has occurred in different parts of Ethiopia. The recent trauma and phenomenon of Borena Zone is a good instance in this regard.. Its impact on the livelihood of the community and their livestock requires active mobilization of the government, humanitarian agencies, and every citizen, among others to bring sustainable solutions for such problems.
So far, artists, journalists, activists, among others are collecting emergency supports to the needy pastoralists that are hugely affected by the severe drought. The government is also working to rehabilitate them sustainably through implementing various short and long-term measures.
Recently, a workshop, themed “Pastoralism, Uncertainty, and Development Policy” was held in the premises of the International Livestock Research Institute Addis Ababa campus. The workshop co-organized by the PASTRES and the International Livestock Research Institute sought to offer a new narrative and more relevant inputs to pastoralists and their contexts.
On the occasion, researchers and experts recommended that the availability of conducive policies and external interventions that centred the pastoralists’ community is important to sustainably transform their lives.
University of Amsterdam Researcher on Pastoralism and Development Masresha Taye told The Ethiopian Herald that cultivating the pastoralists’ way of life through external interventions is important to improve their lives and resilience through providing sustainable mechanisms that control drought and drought related problems.
Currently, it is estimated that there are from 15-20 million pastoralists and semi-pastoralists in Ethiopia. However, these communities are widely affected with the growing climate change and severe droughts in the past years.
“Introducing livestock insurance, availing drought resistant cattle and forage, creating enabling environment for inter and intra mobility of pastoralists through policy improvements, creating market linkage, improving access to infrastructure, early warning systems on climate change, among others are the foremost solutions to settle the lives of the pastoralists’ community,” he said.
As to him, transforming the lives of the pastoralists’ community is possible when there is an active involvement of the government, pastoralists’ community, researchers, and pertinent stakeholders through understanding the reality on the ground.
Another Researcher on Pastoralism from PASTRES Tahira Mohamed said that the pastoralists’ community in the Horn of Africa (HoA) are experiencing severe challenges like climate change, recurrent drought, and insecurities. Free movement of pastoralists should not be restricted so as to save lives during emergencies and enable them access water and feed for their cattle, she said.
Moreover, international organizations, the government, humanitarian agencies, and researchers should convene together and find sustainable solutions that enable pastoralists’ communities withstand existing challenges, she noted. Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fishery Sector State Minister Advisor Yohaness Girma (PhD) said that the Ethiopian government is implementing a pastoralists’ community development policy that was introduced last year.
The policy recommends pastoralists to retain in their location and access water and other facilities, limit their cattle number, supply their cattle to the market timely, diversify their lifestyle to practice dairy products supply, among others.
On his part, Finance Minister Ahmed Shide said that the Ethiopian government is giving due emphasis to the development of pastoralist areas with a view to improving the livelihoods of the inhabitants. Supporting the livelihoods in pastoralist areas is the fundamental strategy of the government.
According to him, over the last four years one of the reforms that the new government working on recognizing the rights of pastoralist to develop. In a bid to advance the pastoral development agenda, the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowland Development has been established. The ministry together with regional governments has embarked on to work on pastoral development issues.
“We are investing more in infrastructure in low land areas. The government is also working to create alternative livelihood for pastoralist communities. We understand that water supply schemes are keys for pastoralists. Water resources development as a viable sustainable solution even for the current crisis,” he said.
Both flood and drought affect the pastoralist communities, he said, adding “we recently agreed with the World Bank to start a flood management program”, the minister disclosed. “This is very important for pastoral areas in Awash, Omo, as well as in Wabe Shebele valleys. We are going to work on early warning infrastructure to regulate the water so that floods will not affect people in the low lands, distract pastoralists’ livelihood and their assets as well.”
Accordingly, integrating the pastoralist areas with the main economy is also another agenda of the government which is very important. In addition to this, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia is championing regional economic integration with a fundamental objective to facilitating trade between our countries and the movement of people and livestock. Border area development is a program that the government is working with the World Bank, in this regard. The government of Ethiopia will continue to work on pastoral area development, he said, noting investments in education, skills development, infrastructure, = in value chain are fundamental for improving the livelihood of pastoralist.
The Ethiopian Herald March 16/2023
