Policy brief

Crowdsourcing data can help monitor drought impacts on food security

This policy brief shares experiences of using crowdsourced data to observe changes in food security attributable to drought in hard-to-reach and fragile areas of Ethiopia and Kenya.

Par Kelvin Shikuku Vincent Alulu Watson Lepariyo Rupsha Banerjee
Promoting innovative solutions Supporting livelihoods and markets Working in a changing climate Africa Ethiopia Kenya

Drought is the most significant climatic shock faced by pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in the drylands of sub-Saharan Africa. Early warning information can help households better prepare and respond to drought. However, providing precise early warning information and monitoring indicators of resilience in remote places affected by conflicts, with dispersed markets and poor infrastructure, is hampered by limited ability to gather data using conventional survey methods.

This policy brief shares researchers' experience of using crowdsourced data gathered with the platform KAZNET to observe changes in food security attributable to drought. Researchers further assessed the mechanisms by which drought impacts occur. Uncovering these mechanisms can guide policy-makers to develop strategies to enhance resilience and improve productivity in drought, thereby mitigating food insecurity. Such knowledge can help provide early warning and inform anticipatory action when dealing with shocks.

The key messages are:

 

Ethiopia, 2016. Credit: S. Sheridan/Mercy Corps
Ethiopia, 2016. Credit: S. Sheridan/Mercy Corps

Source URL: https://www.sparc-knowledge.org/node/263