Tanzanian pastoralists arm themselves against drought
Tanzania, like the countries in the Horn of Africa, has to deal with prolonged drought. In fact, in the northeast, home to the traditional nomadic herdsmen, there has been extreme drought for several years. Trias supports the pastoralists here, in cooperation with local partners.
© Trias
Because of the protracted drought, pastoralists in the northeast of Tanzania have lost 62 percent of their livestock during the past few years. In the Longido district, where Trias is active, this percentage has even increased to 80 percent in some villages. In 2010, not a single drop of rain fell during exactly 347 days.
Livestock is by far the most important asset of the wandering Maasai. “The vast importance of livestock breeding makes the Maasai highly vulnerable to disasters, such as drought”, Trias advisor Shomet Naikosia says. “That’s why Trias stimulates them to tap as many different income sources as possible.”
These days the herdsmen sell animals in Longido in order to buy food, such as corn and grain, with the proceeds. This is then stored in storage facilities, which Trias invests in. The Maasai use the stored produce to support themselves, but they also sell it when market prices are favourable. With the proceeds they can eventually, when the drought is over, buy new livestock. “The storing of food, which is somewhat against the traditions of the nomadic people, helps them get through periods of drought stronger,” explains Naikosia.
Another challenge is the lack of water for man and livestock. With the aid of Trias, the Maasai build little reservoirs to store water. An old pipeline system is also being repaired. “This pipeline system has to transport the water from the mountains to the various villages in order to secure a constant supply of water for both the population and the livestock”, as Naikosia says.
Trias also helps with the development of a sophisticated warning system. “This system gathers climate-related information throughout the year, with the aid of modern scientific and indigenous indicators. With the system’s readings both the herdsmen and the government can take timely measures to prevent the worst consequences of drought,” Naikosia says.
Finally, Trias is developing a plan with the Maasai and the government to use the land resources in a more sustainable way, by for example protecting water sources, forests, grazing areas, agricultural areas, and areas reserved for tourism and living.
Together, these initiatives are part of a broad strategy to reduce the drought’s impact in the future and to enable the Maasai to better arm themselves against drought.