Climate Resilience of Pastoral Livelihoods among Borana Oromo in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines household resilience to climate change among Borana Oromo pastoralists in southern Ethiopia, focusing on two production subsystems: Dirree and Golboo. Data were collected through a household survey (n = 360), focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The Household Climate Resilience Index (CRI) was developed using FAO’s key resilience components, including assets, income and food access, adaptive capacity, social safety nets, access to public services, and system stability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to determine the relative contribution of indicators, while Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) measured overall household resilience. Differences in resilience components were further analysed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The findings reveal significant variation in adaptive capacity among social groups, adult men, women, and youth across the two subsystems. Dirree exhibits higher resilience in most components compared to Golboo, except in access to social safety nets. These differences are largely attributed to variations in local conditions and disparities in access to public services. The results underscore the importance of context-specific interventions tailored to the unique characteristics of each subsystem. The study emphasises that strengthening system-level resilience is essential for improving pastoral livelihoods in the Borana lowlands. It recommends targeted actions to address key constraints within resilience components. Furthermore, long-term resilience requires integrating indigenous environmental knowledge into development planning, enhancing institutional capacity, improving access to services and cross-border resources, and promoting peace building, innovation, and supportive policy frameworks.