FAO and EU Sign €47 Million Programme to Enhance Resilience and Food Security for Eastern African Pastoralists

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union (EU) have launched a €47 million, four-year initiative aimed at bolstering the resilience of pastoralists in Eastern Africa. The programme, titled “Pastoralism and Livestock Adaptation to Climate Change in Eastern Africa Programme (PLACE),” addresses the environmental, economic, and social challenges faced by pastoral systems in the region amidst a rapidly changing climate.

“The EU has been a longstanding partner in Eastern Africa, especially in enhancing the resilience of pastoral livelihoods. We welcome this timely programme as the region’s rangelands face increased climate-related shocks and degradation of the natural resource base, further threatening the pastoral way of life,” said Rein Paulsen, FAO’s Director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience.

Livestock is a lifeline for over 250 million people in Eastern Africa, deeply embedded in the social, cultural, and spiritual fabric of these communities. Pastoralists engage in livestock keeping not only as a commercial enterprise but also as a social investment, providing ecosystem services that are difficult to convert into commercial values, encompassing many interrelated cultural and environmental benefits.

However, pastoralism is at a critical juncture. Societal shifts mean fewer young people are interested in traditional pastoral lifestyles. Additionally, severe and frequent droughts have devastated rangelands, resulting in the loss of over 13 million livestock between late 2020 and early 2024.

PLACE’s holistic approach aims to foster an environment that promotes comprehensive and innovative solutions to enhance resilience, improve food security, and establish sustainable livelihoods. It will be implemented across four cross-border cluster areas: the Bahr el-Arab, Karamoja, Mandera, and Mara-Serengeti Clusters, spanning Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

The programme focuses on environmental sustainability, economic development, and social inclusion, directly benefiting more than 100,000 households. Key areas of focus include:

Strengthening land tenure systems
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Preserving biodiversity and natural resources
Building strong local economies within the livestock sector
Fostering sustainable economic growth
Reducing resource-based conflicts
Creating jobs

The initiatives will aim to improve living conditions, ensure fairness and inclusivity, and amplify the voices and participation of pastoralists, with particular attention to gender and youth inclusion.