ADAPTATIONS AND COPING STRATEGIES TO DROUGHT AMONG PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES IN SHEBELLEY DISTRICT, SOMALI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study highlights drought characteristics and the long-term and short-term responses to drought stresses employed by Shebelley pastoralists of Fafan zone, Somali region. To achieve the objectives of this study, cross-sectional study design has been conducted. Both qualitative and quantitative data were combined to identify drought coping and adaptations strategies of Shebelley pastoralist with 120 households’ interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to capture various aspects of drought and drought adaptation and coping practices. Standardized precipitation index (SPI) derived from long-term rainfall data obtained from the National Meteorological Agency was used to identify drought frequency and severity from 1980 to 2015. SPI revealed that frequency and severity of drought events were increasingly for the last 36 years in Shebelley district. In the study area, 21 droughts out of the 36 years of analysed rainfall has been identified ranging from mild to moderate droughts. The study has also identified that drought severity has increased in Shebelley area for the last three decades. These recurrent droughts have negatively impacted on pastoral livelihoods. In order to adapt to or cope with frequently occurring droughts, Shebelley pastoralists are using a variety indigenous short-term and long-term strategies. Long-term adaptation they use includes mobility to track forage and water sources, herd diversification, regular selling of livestock, tackling of livestock diseases by using traditional methods, diversification of livelihood sources and shifting to agro-pastoralism (sedentarisation). In addition to this, proactive and reactive short-term coping strategies is used. Proactive were including; buying and storing food grains and making a ghee for dry seasons while reactive copings were including the slaughtering of weak animals during drought periods, livestock selling, consumption of wild fruits, re-stocking, social supporting systems, herd and family splitting, charcoal and firewood selling and changing breeding time of their livestock in line with their indigenous climate prediction called Xidigis and dependence on food aids from the government and NGOs