Rethinking development interventions with pastoralists in Ethiopia

The Afar region of Ethiopia is hot and dry. Most people live largely by livestock production, using animals for milk, meat, transport, sale and exchange. Afar pastoralists have predominantly been portrayed as poor and in many cases as mismanaging natural resources.

Researchers from the Universityof Reading in the UKargue that the way pastoralists live and manage their environment and shocks (suchas drought or disease) have been misunderstood. By focussing on conditionsduring drought periods, important systems of resilience and management areignored. That misunderstanding has led to unhelpful development and aidinterventions, notably encouraging communities to settle and sell theirlivestock.

Although drought occurs regularly and livestock disease canadd to losses, the benefits and returns from pastoralismare good in years when the rains come. Afar pastoralists operate a socialexchange system in which everyone contributes livestock and food to those inneed. This insures them against future shocks when others will reciprocate.People take part in this system even when giving animals to others will leavethem short of food, because it provides status and security against future,greater need. Contributions are voluntary but not participating would bringpunishment from community leaders and potential destitution through exclusionfrom the system.

There are several findings on ways that Afar pastoralistsadapt to risk:

• The sale of livestock to buy maize and othergoods and services is important. However, getting livestock to market isexpensive and time consuming. These cost and price variations make returns onmarket trips uncertain.
• The social exchange system insures people againstdestitution by guaranteeing that those who lose their animals will receiveenough new livestock from their neighbours to rebuild their herd. This systemavoids great inequalities of wealth but may also suppress trade.
• Alternatives to pastoralismare very limited. Switching to agriculture is not worthwhile economically, and wagedlabour opportunities are scarce.

Many pastoralists in Afar go through periods of poverty whenshocks occur. However, vulnerability to destitution is their main concern,rather than relatively short-term poverty. By frequently contributing livestockand other goods to less fortunate households, pastoralists effectively toleratea certain level of poverty in order to reduce vulnerability. Understanding howAfar pastoralists manage their environment can help improve developmentsupport:

• Additional income-generating opportunitiesshould complement existing activities rather than be promoted as alternatives.For example, women produce butter for sale when extra milk is available.Technology could support this activity.
• Markets are important for selling livestock buthigh associated costs and price fluctuations create risk. For example, providinginformation on prices for livestock and helping to stabilise prices for grainthrough improved local storage, could both help.
• Social exchange is the essential insurancemechanism for Afar pastoralists and interventions should avoid undermining this.Whole communities must be empowered to participate in development and aiddecisions.
• The potential for alternative forms of insuranceshould be explored to help decrease vulnerability to shocks.