From cows to camels: How pastoralists are adapting to climate change in Kenya's drylands

New film highlights ASSAR's work helping herders in Kenya's drylands adapt to harsh climate through peer-to-peer learning about camel-rearing and land management according to traditional Dedha system. 

Herders in Isiolo County, in Kenya's drylands, are grappling with shrinking pasture and the impacts of a changing climate. They have to continuously contend with droughts, which wipe out cattle, or floods. In the dry lands the need to adapt is critical and herders are looking for ways to adapt to the harsh climatic conditions.

A new short film, "From cows to camels: How pastoralists are adapting to climate change in Kenya's drylands," highlights ASSAR's work helping herders in the drylands adapt. It explains how camels cope better than cattle in times of drought, and shows how the traditional land management system of the Boran pastoralists, known as Dedha, offers a way to cope with the harsh climate.

To equip the herders with camel-rearing skills and increase their knowledge about Dedha-based pasture management, researchers with ASSAR facilitated a peer-to-peer learning exchange. The herders learned from others in the area who are already raising camels and zoning their land according to Dedha.

Watch the full film on Youtube.