Photos Hélène Grégoire / ACTED, March 2012

Among the pastoralist Pokot people of northern Kenya and Uganda, livestock are key determinants of household economy, status and food security. ACTED is building local capacity to identify and treat diseases that have devastating impacts on animal health and therefore the health of the community.

Drought is occurring in increasingly frequent cycles in the Horn of Africa, with affected communities struggling to adapt and recover from its effects. Participatory learning processes for these (agro) pastoralists encourage experimentation and diversification into alternative and more sustainable livelihood activities.

To enhance resilience to drought, ACTED is providing technical and financial support for (agro) pastoralists to identify the biggest threats to their communities and implement risk-reducing projects—such as breeding camels which need less water, less browse, and provide milk for longer periods than cattle.

For vulnerable households affected by the 2011 drought, abnormally high food prices are exhausting their already weakened coping abilities. Timely support in the form of much-need cash in exchange for work on community projects reduces further erosion of livelihoods and serves to protect key remaining assets such a livestock.

ACTED’s work on forming and strengthening drought early warning systems through regular data collection, analysis, and dissemination is also ensuring an appropriate, effective, and timely response to drought by government, NGOs, as well as by communities themselves in northern Uganda.