Decreasing water levels in the Ewaso Nyiro River Basin in Kenya due to human activities and climate change have threatened pastoral communities living in northern Kenya and led to increased displacement and conflict. The river, which runs throughout 10 counties and provides 3.6 million people with water for their households, farms, and livestock, is one of the few sources of water flowing into the arid northern part of the country. Unregulated extracting of water by farmers has dried up large sections of the river.

To raise awareness of the importance of conserving the Ewaso Nyiro River for downstream pastoral communities, more than 200 pastoralists split into four groups and embarked on a 200-kilometer camel caravan trek through Laikipia, Samburu, and Isiolo counties in August 2019.

The four groups converged at Archers Post, where the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry, Honorable Keriako Tobiko, gave remarks to more than 600 community members, local government officials, and other stakeholders.

Organizers of the camel caravan hope the event leads to improved water resources management, sharing of water resources more equitably between farmers and pastoralists, and fewer violent clashes among pastoralists for pasture and dwindling water resources.

Learn more about the camel caravan—supported by SCS Kenya’s project Safeguarding Democratic Space in Kenya (SADES-K), USAID, Cordaid, Isiolo Peace Link, and Merti Integrated Development Program—here and here.

SCS Kenya supports the Kenyan government and CSOs to strengthen Kenya’s governance-reform agenda and to secure democratic gains enshrined in the 2010 Constitution. SCS Kenya implementation is led by FHI 360 with support from Internews.