Climate change poses a significant threat to pastoralist livelihoods, with increasing droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and rising temperatures affecting livestock and natural resources. Pillar 4 focuses on supporting pastoralist communities to adapt to climate change and reduce their vulnerability to climate-related shocks.

Objectives of Pillar 4:

• Build the capacity of pastoralist communities to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Promote climate-smart agricultural and livestock practices that enhance resilience and that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Support community-led disaster risk reduction and preparedness efforts.
• Reduce the carbon footprint of pastoralist communities through sustainable resource use.

Key Strategies:

1. Climate-Resilient Livelihoods: PAREDI works with pastoralist communities to promote climate-smart livelihoods that reduce vulnerability to climate-related shocks. This includes the promotion of drought-tolerant livestock breeds, the diversification of income sources (such as through agroforestry and small-scale irrigation), and the adoption of water-efficient agricultural practices.
2. Climate Information and Early Warning Systems: Access to timely and accurate climate information is critical for pastoralists to make informed decisions about their livelihoods. PAREDI collaborates with meteorological services and local governments to establish early warning systems that provide communities with information about impending droughts, floods, and other climate-related events. These systems help pastoralists take preventive measures to protect their livestock and resources.
3. Renewable Energy and Sustainable Resource Use: To reduce the carbon footprint of pastoralist communities, PAREDI promotes the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power for household energy needs. PAREDI also supports sustainable resource management practices, including fuel-efficient cookstoves, which reduce reliance on firewood and mitigate deforestation.
4. Community-Based Climate Action: PAREDI encourages pastoralist communities to take an active role in climate change mitigation and adaptation through community-based climate action plans. These plans identify local climate risks and outline strategies for reducing vulnerability, such as the establishment of community woodlots, rainwater harvesting systems, and grazing reserves. PAREDI provides technical support and capacity-building to ensure that these plans are effectively implemented.
5. Advocacy for Climate-Smart Policies: PAREDI engages in advocacy efforts to influence policy at the county and national levels, promoting the integration of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies into government plans and programs. PAREDI also collaborates with other NGOs and development partners to raise awareness of the specific climate challenges facing pastoralist communities and to push for climate finance mechanisms that benefit these communities.

Expected Outcomes:

• Enhanced capacity of pastoralist communities to cope with the impacts of climate change.
• Increased adoption of climate-smart practices that improve livelihoods and reduce environmental degradation.
• Strengthened community resilience to climate-related shocks such as droughts and floods.