Share
Livestock management and nomadism are the primary source of livelihood for nearly 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Some 40% of the land area of the continent is composed of arid or semi-arid areas which are not well suited to plant propagation but where livestock keeping is possible. In Ethiopia and Kenya, the share of livestock management of the gross domestic product generated by the agricultural sector is close to 20%. For centuries, nomads have had the capacity to adapt to challenging climate conditions by taking advantage of controlled grazing, but the spread of commercial agriculture, population growth, changes in land ownership and the increased prevalence of extreme weather phenomena brought about by climate change threaten the nomadic way of life and weaken the food safety of households practising livestock management.