Climate‐related vulnerability and adaptive‐capacity in Ethiopia’s Borana and Somali communities

The report assesses the vulnerability of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Ethiopia's Borana and Shinile zones, highlighting that recurrent droughts and increasing temperatures are rendering traditional coping strategies ineffective. While communities suggest diversifying livestock and livelihoods, their adaptive capacity is constrained by land degradation, conflict, and limited access to services. The study recommends that the Ethiopian government and international donors prioritize pastoral land protection, improve climate information sharing, and support community-led adaptation strategies.

• Drought is the primary climate-related hazard in both Borana and Shinile zones, with frequency increasing from every 6-8 years to every 1-2 years. In the Somali region, droughts in 2007 and 2008 resulted in the loss of approximately 80% of cattle, 70% of sheep, 40% of camels, and 30% of goats.
• Local observations in both zones indicate a shortening of rainy seasons, with rains starting later and ending earlier. In Borana, there is also an observed increase in rainfall intensity, which causes soil erosion and damages to infrastructure and crops.
• Extreme heat is a major hazard specifically in the Shinile zone, where high temperatures exceed the thresholds for humans, crops, and livestock, and contribute to bush encroachment by replacing grass species.
• Traditional social protection and asset redistribution systems, such as Busa gonofa in Borana and Zakat in Shinile, are becoming impracticable because the increasing frequency of droughts has expanded the number of people requiring support.
• Adaptive capacity is hindered by several underlying drivers, including internal boundary conflicts in Borana that restrict mobility, significant gender inequalities where men control most resources, and a lack of off-farm employment skills.
• Communities suggest long-term adaptation strategies including shifting herd composition toward drought-tolerant species like camels and goats, diversifying into petty trade or wage labor, and improving water infrastructure such as cisterns and boreholes.
• The report identifies a critical gap in government capacity and coordination, noting that zonal officials in Yabello were unaware of current food insecurity and rain conditions in Mado and Billa.

APA

Riché, B., Hachileka, E., Awuor, C. B., & Hammill, A. (2009). Climate‐related vulnerability and adaptive‐capacity in Ethiopia’s Borana and Somali communities. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_ethiopia_communities.pdf

Chicago

Riché, Béatrice, Excellent Hachileka, Cynthia B. Awuor, and Anne Hammill. Climate‐related vulnerability and adaptive‐capacity in Ethiopia’s Borana and Somali communities. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_ethiopia_communities.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Riché |first1=Béatrice |last2=Hachileka |first2=Excellent |last3=Awuor |first3=Cynthia B. |last4=Hammill |first4=Anne |title=Climate‐related vulnerability and adaptive‐capacity in Ethiopia’s Borana and Somali communities |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=August 2009 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_ethiopia_communities.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rich2009climaterelated, author = {Riché, Béatrice and Hachileka, Excellent and Awuor, Cynthia B. and Hammill, Anne}, title = {{Climate‐related vulnerability and adaptive‐capacity in Ethiopia’s Borana and Somali communities}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_ethiopia_communities.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }