DROUGHT VARIABILITY, PERCEPTIONS, IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES BY AGRO-PASTORALISTS OF GABILLEY DISTRICT, REPUBLIC OF SOMALILAND, EAST AFRICA

Abstract

This study highlights drought characteristics and the many responses to drought stresses employed by Gabiley agro-pastoralists of western Somaliland. Multiple data sources, including socioeconomic interviews with 123 households, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews with agro-pastoralists were used to capture various aspects of drought and drought adaption and coping practices. Standardized Rainfall Anomaly derived from long term rainfall data obtained from the Somaliland National Meteorological Agency was used to quantify different degrees of drought intensity between 1980 and 2015. Results of Meteorology data revealed that extreme drought events were increasingly frequent, and have negatively impacted agro-pastoral livelihoods.in addition to the survey result showed that 82.1% of the respondents indicated that drought incidence increased for last three decades. In order to adapt to or cope with climatic anomalies, households are using a variety of strategies. In addition to the traditional short-term coping mechanisms, the long-term adaptation strategies used include crop diversification, livestock mobility to track forage and water resources; diversification of herd composition to benefit from the varied drought and disease tolerance, as well as fecundity of diverse livestock species and also adjusting to planting time to protect crop failure, However, the adaptation strategies are not practiced in full capacity, specifically knowledge gap about the livestock rearing and availability of improved seeds are the constraints in this regard. Finally creating enabling policy environment for local experimentation and innovations in the framework of agro-pastoralists and sustainability have been suggested as a point of departure in developing drought adaption strategy and other pressures.