Over the last fifteen years the horn of African region like many other parts of the world, have faced extended drought and famine, caused not only by inadequate rainfall but associated climate change phenomena. The region faces land degradation and desertification. The climate change effects are impacting locally but in the context of global warming are relevant to all humankind and demand collective action. In addition to climate change, human activities exacerbated by population increase are considered to be the main cause of accelerated degradation. The communities in the horn of African region have now realized the importance of long term strategic plans to the counter the effects of climate change, overgrazing and the need to give a chance to environmental rehabilitation. Restoration of native vegetation is an essential part of an holistic approach. However, most communities in the developing world, particularly the nomadic pastoralists of rural horn of Africa, do not have the financial resources required to mitigate the impact of land degradation and the resultant desertification.
The challenge:
The region continues to suffer deforestation, particularly as the result of overgrazing by nomadic pastoralists associated with increased population pressure and the emerging rural urban migration which is caused by mushrooming towns and settlements. The intensity of this migration and overgrazing has created a huge gap between the rate of deforestation and the rate of reafforestation. Trees are felled in a subsistence economy and the land is over-grazed by the herds and flocks of the nomads, a situation that will continue unabated unless urgent steps are taken to reverse it. If action is not taken now, the recovery of the land could take decades, possibly centuries. The international community has a responsibility to help poor, developing nations combat the effects of climate change. This means help with human, financial and physical resources to develop and implement strategies to meet the challenges.
Our project:
This project primarily entails; civic education, community consultation, engagement of the nomadic pastoralists through seeking and synthesis of traditional environment know how, and arid land rehabilitation of deforested parts of the region.