Writing in the New Humanitarian, Rahma Hassan (Tufts University and Centre for Research and Development in the Drylands) and Samuel Derbyshire (Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action and International Livestock Research Institute) recognise that early warning systems and anticipatory action can save lives, especially of settled communities and farmers.
However, they argue, pre-defined early action protocols and triggers are not necessarily well-matched to the needs of pastoralist communities whose lives and livelihoods are characterised by mobility. It’s time for a rethink – to orient themselves around existing community strategies, to engage more seriously with local relationships, customary institutions, and practices, and to support those parts of existing systems that most require it.
More:
Read the article: Drought warnings save lives, what about livelihoods?
Read a policy brief: Anticipatory action in the drylands: steps toward centring pastoralist knowledge
Read the journal article: Uncertainty, pastoral knowledge and early warning: A review of drought management in the drylands, with insights from northern Kenya