Historic Kenyan drought reshaped livelihoods, health and daily life
During a historic drought in northern Kenya, a pastoralist community turned to a food source it had long viewed as a fallback for people without livestock: fishing.
A historic drought in northern Kenya forced a pastoralist community to adapt their traditional lifestyle. As livestock herds dwindled, members of the Daasanach began fishing in nearby Lake Turkana. The practice, once considered a last resort for those without livestock, became a vital source of food and income. This shift in livelihood, reported in a study led by Penn State researchers and published in Global Environmental Change, highlights the profound impact of prolonged drought on cultural norms, livelihoods, and settlement patterns.
The study, which spanned the drought and a year of recovery, found that physical health, food access, and daily life were significantly affected. Children's growth did not fully recover, and women faced greater hardship than men. The stigma associated with fishing diminished as more families relied on it, showing how extreme climate events can reshape cultural practices.
The findings suggest that drought can alter not only physical well-being but also the social fabric of communities, potentially leading to increased reliance on outside assistance or relocation. Strengthening drought monitoring systems to include human experiences of water insecurity could improve the targeting of assistance and support.
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