Climate change and pastoralists: investing in people to respond to adversity

The sustainability of pastoral systems largely depends on a balancing act between pastures, livestock and people. The mobility of pastoralists and their livestock is also a key factor. With climate change, the authors of this article speculate that this balance will be undermined. Greater herd mobility and diversification of pastoralists livelihoods will be required although diversification out of livestock production may be constrained by the environmental characteristics of most pastoral areas in Africa.Local, national and international action is required to address these issues. In particular:the negative perceptions of pastoralism as a backward production system must also be replaced by a recognition of the value of these systemsseasonal herd mobility and mobility in response to droughts, must be enabledrights to critical resources (e.g. dry-season pastures and water) must be securedlivelihoods should be supported with better water access and tailored service provisionlivelihood diversification (e.g. tourism and conservation) should be encouragedrobust conflict management institutions and effective drought mitigation systems should be builtthe capacity of pastoral groups to engage with debates on policy issues directly affecting their lives should be strengthenedefforts should be made to engage the richer countries in these efforts