Livestock plays a key role in the different facet of societal life in Africa. It principally serves as source of animal protein in the diet of the populace as well as source of materials for body wears such as waist belt, shoes, blanket etc. Livestock also plays a key role in the religious life of certain sects as object for sacrifice and worship. The small ruminant constitutes a major category of the livestock that are kept by many household and it serves as source of income for the household as well as occasional source of food.

To assess the adaptive capacities of agro-pastoral communities to climate change, a participatory survey was conducted in the region between February and May 2009. The survey covered in total 175 households, covering 60 households per agro-ecological zone (i.e., the zones Séno and Gourma), with 15 households per village. In the Delta zone, 55 households were available for the interview. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between household coping strategies and selected factors.

In many of the world's drylands, women's traditional knowledge of and roles in natural resource management and food security are crucial. Women across the developing world spend considerable proportions of their time using and preserving land for food and fuel production, and for generating income for their families and communities. They are therefore severely affected when erosion and diminished soil fertility result in decreased crop and livestock, productivity and reduced income derived from these products.

Nigeria is frequently affected by disasters as a result of natural processes. Three quarters of these are related to extreme weather and climate events, including droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, thunderstorms, and desertification. Changes in global climate patterns will have serious implications for Nigeria, as most socioeconomic activities are extremely sensitive to climate variability. In this regard, concerted efforts are being made to address the issue of current and abrupt climate change.

Pastoralism is a free-range livestock production system. It is practised in all of Africa’s dryland regions, and in some communities it is the main source of food security and income. But will pastoralism survive in the changing climate? This issue of Joto Afrika provides research findings, lessons learnt and success stories from across Africa.Statistics from African Union’s policy framework show that pastoralism contribute between 10 to 44 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in the countries that they live in.