Economies, markets and livelihoods

Livestock production and trade are the backbone of the livelihoods of many people and economies in drylands. Pastoral communities in these regions have adapted to differences in rainfall and annual changes in weather by moving their herds and flocks. They are also adopting other ways to earn a living - including farming, trading in livestock and consumer goods, working in public services, and migrating to cities from where they send home remittances. However, these livelihoods are challenged by further climate and environmental risks in the short and long term, including pests, diseases, conflict and climate change.

We will distil and share key lessons from our analysis of how communities and businesses in drylands generate and share income and adapt to hazards, and how public policies and investments in these regions affect local economies and communities.

Here we present some recommended resources on the theme of Economies, Markets and Livelihoods specially selected by SPARC’s experts:

• Pathways to Resilience in Pastoralist Areas: A Synthesis of Research in the Horn of Africa - Feinstein International Center

• Introduction: The Politics of Land, Resources & Investment in Eastern Africa’s Pastoral Drylands in 'Land, Investment & Politics: Reconfiguring Eastern Africa’s Pastoral Drylands'

• Pastoralism and Development: Fifty Years of Dynamic Change - 'Fifty Years of Research on Pastoralism and Development' - IDS Bulletin