Counter Measures Used by Pastoralist in Arid Areas on Environmental Hazards. A Critical Literature Review

Abstract

Purpose: Climate variability, population explosion, and poverty have lowered the adaptive capacity to climate variability of pastoralists in arid and semi-arid areas. The overall objective of this study was to examine counter measures used by pastoralist in arid areas on environmental hazards. A critical literature review
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Findings: The study concluded that about 14.8% of the residents in arid and semi-arid areas depend on relatives for economic support, while 3.3% depend on friends, 0.7% on loans for women groups, and 1.3% on government projects for support. About 73.0% do not have other sources of livelihood. Dependence on relatives and friends for economic support increases vulnerability to climate variability because it does not provide a consistent income source. Moreover, a lack of livelihood diversification increases vulnerability to climate variability. About 94.70% of the residents do not benefit from cash transfer programs. The 5.30% who receive cash transfers receive it from the government and NGOs. However, most residents do not benefit from cash transfers, which is a sign of poor coordination between the government and NGOs.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study recommended that the relevant governments in arid and semi-arid areas should formulate and implement appropriate policies and strategies to improve adaptive capacity of women to climate variability in arid and semi-arid areas because most of the taboos in arid and semi-arid target women and reduce their ability to cope with climate variability. Programs to strengthen their adaptation strategies should also be introduced because most of their livelihood diversification methods such as charcoal burning contribute to environmental degradation and consequently to global warming.