- A severe drought, worsened by climate change, is driving pastoralists in Ethiopia’s Somali region to abandon traditional herding lifestyles in favor of urban labor, leading to significant shifts in their livelihoods.
- Many pastoralists are forced to seek alternative livelihoods in farming, construction and trade, which require new skills and adaptation to urban life.
- Former pastoralists express emotional ties to their traditional way of life and struggle with the demands of new jobs, reflecting the broader impacts of climate change on their identities and futures.
- A land and agriculture expert says nature-based solutions provide an opportunity to help pastoralists adapt to droughts, while government programs are focused on technical support and helping pastoralists achieve alternative livelihoods.
JIGJIGA, ETHIOPIA — Ahmed Mohammed rises before dawn in Jigjiga, the bustling capital of Ethiopia’s Somali region. The 38-year-old’s new routine contrasts starkly with the pastoralist life he once knew. Each morning, he heads to a construction site, where he now works as a daily laborer in grueling conditions — a significant shift from his previous role as a herder.
“I’ve stepped into a life I never imagined. Survival now means learning something new every day,” he says, sipping coffee in a modest café that serves fellow laborers.
Originally from Kebribeya district, a region of semiarid plains, Ahmed lost nearly all of his livestock to a devastating drought that struck the Horn of Africa three years ago, in 2021.
Ahmed is not alone. Drought and climate change across Somali region’s drylands is forcing many, like Ahmed, to seek alternative livelihoods in farming, petty trade (selling milk, clothing, shoes, etc.) and construction in urban centers — roles that require entirely new skills. In such regions where communities traditionally identify as herders, their animals tend to symbolize both wealth and cultural identity. Losing them is devastating.
“For pastoralists, who heavily depend their livelihood on natural resources, drought is not merely a climatic event; it’s an existential threat,” says Essayas Nigatu, senior pastoralist expert at the World Bank. “As recently seen, drought leads to severe water shortages, depletes grazing areas of natural forage and impairs animal health, resulting in significant livestock losses and disrupting traditional pastoralist lifestyles.”
Over the past 30 years, changing drought patterns and increased severity have forced many into entirely new ways of life, Nigatu says.
Transitioning to these new ways of life is tough for former pastoralists. They have to learn new skills, trades, adapt to living in one place and find entry-level jobs in towns where there are few opportunities and established businesses are strong. This is a big change from their old mobile, animal-based lifestyle, making it hard to adjust.
And the pay doesn’t always cut it. Generally, former pastoralists in the Somali region say they are earning less with their new livelihoods compared with their previous income made from selling animals. Their lifestyles can also be more grueling out in the hustle of urban areas compared with the relative calm of the countryside.
Many have chosen these new roles out of necessity rather than for better pay, they say, as they seek to survive in a changing environment.

Drought withers a way of life
The drought gripping the Horn of Africa from 2020-22, reported by the Food and Agriculture organization as the worst in 40 years, affected more than 36.1 million people across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. In the Somali region, approximately 3.5 million pastoralists — 55% of the population — have seen their livelihoods severely threatened.
According to the World Weather Attribution organization, climate change has increased this drought’s severity. Scientists also attribute the severity of the droughts’ impacts to a combination of factors, including the recurring La Niña weather phenomenon, deforestation, land degradation and escalating water demand. Before the drought, Ahmed relied entirely on his herd of cows, goats and camels for his family’s livelihood.
When the rains failed to come for 14 consecutive months, Ahmed and other pastoralists faced extreme hardships. “The drought was unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my lifetime,” he recalls. “Our once-fertile pastures turned barren, and our water sources dried up completely,” Ahmed tells Mongbay.
Traditionally, families migrate with their herds in search of better grazing, but the recent climate has made even this adaptive strategy untenable. “We traveled up to 100 kilometers [62 miles] searching for grazing grounds, but no place offered relief; the drought was everywhere,” Ahmed explains. The lack of forage and water led to widespread livestock deaths, Ahmed lost his entire herd: 10 cows and 15 goats.
“I watched helplessly as my cattle grew weaker and eventually died, one by one,” he says.
Mohammed Ali, 42, from the Bike Gota district, faced a similar fate. The prolonged drought decimated most of his herd, leaving only a few animals. When heavy rains finally arrived in the summer of 2023, they proved disastrous. “The heavy rain killed the remaining animals that were already weak from the drought,” he says. “I lost all but three of my cattle.”

“I used to depend on my herd for everything — food, income and my way of life. Losing them to the drought left me with nothing and made every day a struggle to feed my family and myself,” Mohammed says.
The crisis is part of a broader catastrophe in the Horn of Africa: The drought is linked to the death of more than 13.2 million livestock across the region (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia). In Ethiopia alone, 6.8 million livestock have perished, undermining the traditional pastoral economy.
This translates to a loss of about 91 million liters (24 million gallons) of milk, food insecurity and a humanitarian emergency, according to the U.N. office on humanitarian affairs. For pastoralists to recuperate their losses, it can take five years. But continued droughts can make this timeline uncertain as well, forcing some to leave pastoralism altogether or displace in search of survival.
By mid-2023, Ahmed was forced to leave Kebribeya for Jigjiga, seeking a new way to survive. He found work on a construction site, earning a modest salary of 5,500 Ethiopian birr ($45) per month, which barely covers his living expenses and allows him to send some money back home to support his family.
And like some other pastoralists, Mohammed turned to selling goods and agriculture. He now trades khat (a plant with psychostimulant effects) and farming.
“I sold the remaining three cows and began selling khat from the neighboring Oromia region and growing maize in a small plot near my house. It wasn’t my traditional way of life, but I had no other options.” He earns about 500 birr ($4) a day, which barely covers his family’s needs. “It’s a small amount compared to what I used to have, but it provides some relief.”

A taste for freedom
“It’s not easy,” Ahmed says. “Every day is hard work, and I don’t know this life like I knew the herding life. But I have to survive.”
Adapting to urban life has also been challenging for him, as he misses the freedom of pastoralism and grapples with the city’s fast pace.
Many former pastoralists we speak to say they miss their traditional way of life, including the freedom to move around and their close connection with animals, nature and the land. Some are hesitant to switch to new jobs, even if they pay better.
“Sometimes, I feel lost here. Back home, our lives followed the seasons and everything had purpose,” Ahmed says. Despite working as a laborer for months, Ahmed still finds the transition challenging, he struggles with the harsh conditions and the need to acquire new skills.
“Every day feels like a test. I’m trying to learn new things and keep up, but it’s not easy when you’re used to a different pace of life.”
Similarly, Mohammed says he once thrived but this was shattered once his traditional way of life was gone. It’s difficult to keep up with the demands, needs and problems associated with the new livelihood. The challenges of climate change also extend to Mohammed’s farming: Poor yields plague his crops.
“The diseases and invasive species are hindering their growth. I’m not expecting a good harvest,” he says.
Sources tell Mongabay they worry about how younger people who only know animal herding will manage if pastoralism becomes less practical because of drought.
“A robust support system is crucial to help them adapt and build resilience,” Nigatu says.

Any nature-based solutions?
According to Abrham Belay Mekonnen, a researcher at the European Forest Institute, nature-based solutions such as agroecology and afforestation are essential for assisting pastoralists in Ethiopia and beyond to adapt to current droughts, erratic rainfall and land degradation.
“These strategies effectively engage with natural ecosystems, increasing pastoralists’ resilience and sustainability while also enhancing livelihoods,” he tells Mongabay.
By improving soil health, diversifying livelihoods, restoring ecosystems and enhancing water availability, these strategies can help pastoralists adapt to the increasing climate challenges they face, he says. “Government and community support will be essential to scaling these approaches effectively.”
To support pastoralists effectively with nature-based solutions, providing training in agroecological techniques and afforestation ensures they have the skills and knowledge to implement and benefit from these solutions.
“Integrating traditional knowledge is essential, as pastoralists possess deep knowledge of managing rangelands in harsh climates.” Furthermore, “Ethiopian policies should promote and fund agroecological practices and afforestation projects, providing incentives for pastoral communities to adopt these techniques,” he adds.
When Mongabay speaks with Samuel Nigussie, a senior officer at the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands, he says the government is involved in some projects aimed at supporting pastoralist communities, though these don’t involve nature-based solutions.
“We have been implementing various projects within these communities to help them better adapt to the impacts of climate change,” he explains.
According to him, the ministry is providing support such as feed, animal health services and small-scale irrigation systems, as well as constructing water wells. This will help enhance natural resource management and improve the productivity of livestock rearing and agropastoral farming in affected areas, he says.

But the pastoralist system continues to face significant pressure and is struggling to reach its full potential as a source of livelihood.
Alongside development partners like the World Bank, many of the government’s goals to help pastoralists adapt are centered on providing them with other jobs and income sources for when their traditional livelihoods are no longer able to meet their needs.
One of their projects supports pastoralists who have lost livestock due to drought by providing alternative income sources through common interest groups of 12-15 members. Each group receives training and grants ranging between $8,000 and $10,000. Additionally, women are organized into credit and savings groups, where they receive grants and access to credit to start businesses of their choice, such as trade, bakeries, small shops and dairy processing and selling.
One of the recent additions, The Lowlands Livelihood Resilience Project, Phase Two, aims to enhance the livelihoods and climate resilience of 3 million pastoralists and agropastoralists in the lowlands of Ethiopia, across seven regions, including Somali. This five-year initiative also focuses on job creation, income diversification and improving productivity. So far, the project has secured $424 million in funding, primarily from the World Bank’s International Development Association and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
“For those transitioning out of pastoralism, whether temporarily or permanently, the project offers alternative livelihood opportunities,” Essayas adds. But there is also support for pastoralists to reengage in traditional activities.
Back at the construction site, as Ahmed navigates his uncertain future in Jigjiga, he reflects on his ties to his past.
“My heart is still tied to my old life and my identity as a pastoralist,” he says. “But the current conditions make it hard to predict if or when I can return to that way of life.”
Banner image: Ahmed Kilas, a pastoralist in Somali region of Ethiopia standing near his hut in the village of Labeshak. Image by Solomon Yimer.
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