PASTRES seeks global lessons from pastoralist responses to uncertainty

PASTRES (Pastoralism, Uncertainty and Resilience: Global Lessons from the Margins) is a 5-year research project (2018–23) funded through an ERC (European Research Council) Advanced Grant. It is hosted by the STEPS Centre at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, UK, and the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.

Drawing insights from across three continents, PASTRES asks: What lessons can we learn for global challenges from pastoral systems responding to uncertainty? In pastoral areas of China (Qinghai), Italy (Sardinia) and Kenya (Isiolo), the project is exploring responses to uncertainty in three areas: environment/resources, markets/commodities and institutions/governance. It aims to foster a conversation with other domains where uncertainty is pervasive, such as financial and commodity systems, critical infrastructure management, disease outbreak response, migration policy, climate change, and conflict and security governance.

In the short video (https://pastres.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/uncertainty-is-part-of-life-for-kenyas-pastoralists/), Dr Hussein Abdullahi Mahmoud, the country lead for Kenya, introduces the PASTRES work in Isiolo County in northern Kenya. In the context of decentralisation, the responsibilities of county governments to support local economies – in this case, pastoralism – have increased. Large infrastructure projects, including marketing facilities, abbatoirs, roads and airports are being developed, linked to mineral extraction (including oil) and alternative energy investments. All these investments bring opportunities but also new uncertainties. PASTRES will engage with policymakers and development practitioners around these issues, helping to bring perspectives from pastoralist communities to the national debate about pastoralism in Kenya.

Posted on 7 July 2018 in News, Pastoral Research & Innovation, Pastoralism & Climate Change, Pastoralism & Extractives, Pastoralism, Policy & Power