This study is aimed to assess the current living conditions, challenges and coping strategies of pastoralists in Ethiopia by taking case study from Benna-Tsemay pastoralists, Southern Ethiopia. The pastoral part of this zone is among the most remote and sparsely populated areas in the region. Traditional livestock herding has been the main source of the livelihood of the south omo pastoral and agro-pastoral communities for generations.
The finding of this study indicates that Benna-Tsemay pastoralist communities rely merely on seasonal rainfall both for the regeneration of rangeland and growing homestead crops. They live in a fragile existence mainly characterized by unpredictable and uneven climatic conditions, in hospitable environment, and hence they are among the poorest of poor in terms of disposal incomes, assets to social services and general welfare. The perennial and pervasive search for water (for human and livestock uses), the problem of persistent food insecurity, inter-ethnic conflict, inadequate services and infrastructure characterizes the life style of these pastoralist groups.
To cope with the aforementioned problems, the Benna-Tsemay pastoralists introduced different local coping strategies which of course did not bring about improvement in their livelihoods. A focus on improving risk management by facilitating household economic diversification and restoring some aspects of opportunistic resource use may be the most appropriate development options among the Ethiopian Benna-Tsemay pastoralists at this time.
