Drylands and pastoralism

With research, training and advocacy, we help build climate resilience, productivity and equity in the dryland areas of East Africa, Ethiopia, the Sahel and Sudan

Also related to

Climate change adaptation

Misconceptions on drylands and pastoralism

Climate finance

Decentralising Climate Funds

Illustration of the outline of a herder herding their flock in front of buildings, with the words "Pastoralism in development" underneath

Pastoralism in Development: a learning journey – free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Crops and cattle

Climate change and conflict - reframing the debate

Began April 2022

A seated woman talks animatedly to colleagues.

Remembering Nicole Kenton

15 February 2023

Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme

September 2022 - ongoing

Man and woman fill up jerry cans with water from a fountain

Water access in the drylands – what’s not working?

Claire Bedelian
11 November 2022

Man, wearing red and black and holding a stick, walks with cattle

Valuing a traditional lifestyle: how Maasai herders are being paid to protect nature and combat climate change

Jo Anderson
19 October 2022

Related collections

Learn more about focused areas of IIED's drylands and pastoralism work

Drylands: building climate resilience, productivity and equity

A programme of work showing how IIED is building capacity to act on the implications of climate change for equitable and climate resilient development in the drylands

Mobilising money to where it matters

A programme of work helping to initiate a positive shift in the quantity and quality of climate finance reaching the local level to support locally-led solutions that address climate change, poverty and biodiversity loss

Publications

View more Drylands and pastoralism publications

Preview of 22016g

Case study on approaches for supporting pastoralist groups facing climate change effects in Tanzania

Preview of 20911g

Pastoralism in Uganda

Preview of 20906g

Pastoralism and pastoral policy in Ethiopia

Preview of 17763IIED

How have decentralised natural resource management institutions evolved over 20 years?

Preview of 10208IIED

Farmer-herder conflict in sub-Saharan Africa?

Preview of G00255

Pastoral Civil Society Quarterly Newsletter of RECONCILE/IIED Programme on Reinforcement of Pastoral Civil Society in East Africa Issue no 8 October - December 2004

Preview of 10024IIED

Haramata 55: Bulletin of the drylands

Preview of 10042IIED

Pastoralism: the custodian of China’s grasslands

Decentralising climate adaptation funds in Senegal

Preview of 7299IIED

Pastoral Women and Livestock Management: Examples from Northern Uganda and Central Chad

84 entries

A group of people, standing and seated outside under a tree, make the heart shape with their hands as they pose for a group photo.

How securing land rights is building women's resilience in Kenya

Article, 19 November 2025

Four women seated in a line and wearing colourful traditional pastoralist clothing lean forward as part of an interview being conducted outside, with trees in the background.

Challenging social norms in the drylands of Uganda

Article, 19 November 2025

Community members during a meeting, sitting down, writing notes and discussing.

Why we need strong farmer organisations to achieve the world’s big environmental goals

Insight, 01 September 2025

With a dusty backdrop, two women grab rope leading over a bar to a bucket, as they struggle to get water out of a well.

Dividing the land: the human costs of land displacement in Mali

Article, 17 April 2025

Farmer and animals walking through a drylands area in Chad

Countering desertification and defusing climate wars: why myths matter

Insight, 18 December 2024

Crops and cattle

Climate change and conflict - reframing the debate

Active Project

A seated woman talks animatedly to colleagues.

Remembering Nicole Kenton

Article, 15 February 2023

Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme

Active Project

Illustration of the outline of a herder herding their flock in front of buildings, with the words "Pastoralism in development" underneath

Pastoralism in Development: a learning journey – free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Article

Man and woman fill up jerry cans with water from a fountain

Water access in the drylands – what’s not working?

Insight, 11 November 2022