East Africa pastoralists draw roadmap for food security
Over forty representatives from pastoralist organizations from Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya converged in Luwero District, Uganda, 17th – 20th April 2017 to draw a roadmap for the implementation of the project “Building climate change resilience for enhanced food security in pastoralist communities in east Africa”. The event was also attended by Members of Parliaments, Government representative from Uganda and Open Society Initiatives for East Africa (OSIEA) as well as Asia-Pacific region who all laid support for the project.
“This project is coming at the right time when the impact of climate change is already visible in the loss of several lives, livestock and reduced revenue both for pastoralist communities and the government. Do it very fast PACJA” said Joseph Sserugo, The Vice Chairman, Luwero District, Uganda
“We need you to provide us with data and accurate information from the grassroots to help us negotiate and make policies that are responsive to the realities our people and even the pastoralists, hunters and fruit gatherers and the youth. We commend PACJA for its continued engagements with the Parliamentarians and representing the voice of Africa civil society at regional and global level” Hon. Biyika Lawrence Songa, MP. Chairperson, Parliamentarian Forum on Climate Change and Hon. Adeke Anna Ebaju, MP. Female Youth Representative and Member of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change in the Uganda Parliament stated.
“The Government of Uganda is committed to working with PACJA and its platform in Uganda to ensure the project is successfully implemented in the country as His Excellency, the President is very passionate about pastoralist issues” said Alice Muwanguti, The Resident District Commissioner, Luwero who represented the President during the event.
In reality with the challenges faced by the most venerable group, Joseph Ole simel of Mainyoito Pastoralist Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO) in his submission stated that “the issue of gender is critical and consideration must be given to women when it comes to food security and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures as they bear the brunt of the reeling impacts of climate change even among the pastoralist group”
Karamoja Development Forum representative at the meeting, Mr. Longoli Simon lamented over the current drought ravaging the pastoralist communities as “Karamajong pastoralists watch the source of their livelihood vanishing as livestock are been buried daily as a result of the pounding drought”.
For us the pastoralists in Tanzania, “We have always been at the receiving ends of the negative impacts of climate change and there are little or no policy that tends to reflect the concerns of the pastoralist at national and regional levels” Lembulung Ole Kosyando, Coordinator of NAADUTARO –Pastoralists’ Survival Options -a pastoralist organization in rural Tanzania added.
Florence Kasule, the Coordinator, PACJA chapter, Uganda, Sam Ogallah from PACJA and Francis Akorikin of OSIEA all called on the participants and project benefiting organizations to work collectively and ensure the project is implemented successful by actively contributing and participating at all levels and activities in the project.
Addressing climate change is a key priority for African countries as a region that is highly impacted and hence the need for urgent implementation of the various strategies at local, national and regional levels.
The Eastern Africa is home to thousands of pastoralists who herd their livestock in the semi-arid to arid areas. With increased impacts of climate, there is need to integrate the challenges faced by pastoralists communities as a result of climate change into policies, plans and programmes at national, regional and international levels.
