On 23rd February, thirty three PhD and Master’s students from across the Horn of Africa join our Summer School ‘exploring local constructs of resilience [from below] in the face of shocks and uncertainties in the drylands.’
Co-organized with the Center for Research and Development in the Drylands and the Feinstein International Center of Tufts University, we have assembled a strong team of experts and students for this learning opportunity that we hope will examine how resilience has been understood and applied in drylands, helping to prepare the next generation of practitioners with the necessary skills to engage with pastoral contexts.
Taking place at Camp Simpirre, highlights of the program include:
A keynote presentation on ‘historical-ecological perspectives on pastoralism in the Horn of Africa’ by Norwegian University of Life Sciences Professor Emeritus Gufu Oba. His current research is on climate adaptations among pastoralist societies of the Horn and Eastern Africa; he is currently the Director of Gaadisa Gummi Foundation – an indigenous non-profit institution for training pastoralists.
A keynote presentation on ‘Uncertainty and rethinking resilience in pastoral development’ by Institute of Development Studies Professorial Fellow Ian Scoones. He recently led a six-year research project on ‘Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience’; the insights are summarized in a series of blog posts as well as a book.
An exploration of pastoralists as high-reliability professionals and networks, led by Rahma Hassan and Jackson Wachira that focuses on pastoralists’ own systems to manage uncertainties and take advantage of opportunities and how these contribute to the resilience of pastoral systems. See a related blog post.
Discussions on dryland policy disconnects with Hussein Tadicha (CRDD Executive Director), Guyo Roba (Head of the Jameel Observatory), Elizabeth Stites (Research Director at the Feinstein International Center), and Hassan Roba (Director of Kenya Strategy at the Christensen Fund), reviewing how these affect the resilience of communities, and ways to effectively engage policy processes. This builds on a 2024 policy forum as well as engagement in Kenya’s recent Pastoralist Leadership Summit.
Together with a field trip to three local communities, a walk through the Waso biocultural landscape, and mentored group interactions, we look forward to a dynamic week of exploration and co-learning.
More
Read the summer school concept note
About the ACIAR-supported ‘resilience from below’ project at CRDD