Page 12 - FMR64_Trafficking and smuggling & Climate crisis and local communities_2020_web

FMR 64
12 Climate crisis and local communities
www.fmreview.org/issue64 June 2020

attention, especially when such tribal to take into consideration such beliefs,
minorities and indigenous communities as debunking them if need be in order for science
the Turkana are detached from the societal and tradition to read from the same script.
fabric of the rest of the country. Indeed,
community strategies are not reflected in The involuntary nature of migration
climate modelling – a significant failing The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of
in our approach to climate adaptation. Refugees does not address the emerging issue
Bilateral negotiations by the countries of people displaced because of the impact
involved to allow reciprocal grazing by of climate change. Some scholars argue
pastoralists as well as concerted efforts to that the correct terminology to be adopted
encourage joint grazing appear to be the best ought to be ‘climate migrants’ – as the term
solution in order to call a halt to the incessant ‘climate refugee’ has no legal standing –
conflicts over pasture. In 2019, Uganda and but this ignores the involuntariness which
Kenya signed an agreement to allow grazing characterises most, if not all, climate-induced
rights for the Turkana pastoralists in Uganda migration, especially in a pastoralism
and for the shared use of Kobebe dam (owned context. There is a need to place climate
by Uganda). This has been effective, and change at the heart of the refugee discourse
such initiatives – if adopted by communities by recognising it as a ground for flight. xxxx
facing similar challenges elsewhere – may Additionally, UNHCR and the International
have the potential of allowing climate-hit Organization for Migration should
communities to escape the climate wrath endeavour to monitor climatic conditions
in their indigenous lands by seeking and weather patterns in pastoralist-occupied
refuge in foreign lands, undisturbed. areas in order to be sufficiently prepared
Despite historically being purely to assist pastoralists forced to move.
nomadic, the Turkana have been forced by Meanwhile, there is a need to provide
climate change to increasingly embrace opportunities to people such as the Turkana
agro-pastoralism. This is evident especially to migrate with dignity, especially in cases
along the region’s Turkwel and Kerio rivers of distress migration. For this community
which, due to aridity, now only flow during of people, who have increasingly embraced
the rainy seasons. Here the government agriculture, there are a number of climate
and NGOs have helped the Turkana to adaptation initiatives that may strengthen
adopt agro-pastoralism. Additionally, resilience, including training and assistance
a number of the Turkana community with growing more drought-resistant crops.
engage in fishing in Lake Turkana. Such It is imperative to increase pastoralists’ access
grassroots adaptation efforts need to be to alternative sources of livelihoods outside
adopted and supported as mitigation traditional nomadism. However, it should
measures to enable pastoralist communities also be noted that the most appropriate
to diversify their livelihoods, recover and interventions largely depend on the specific
rebuild. However, this is only possible for context of a local community. Governments
those who live around the lakes and rivers and the international community must do
and have access to land on the banks. more to support pastoralists’ own adaptation
Culture and faith play a big role in the life efforts and to promote legal migration
of the Turkana. Making sacrifices to ancestors pathways. If the voices of the people at
is a common practice, traditionally geared the grassroots are anything to go by, this
towards preventing and reducing the negative is what those most affected most want.
impacts of climate change. While science Ekai Nabenyo
indicates that climate change is a result of ikainabenyo@gmail.com @Article43Kenya
disastrous human activities, the Turkana Founder, Article 43, a climate advocacy group in
believe that the aridity that pushes them into Kenya www.article43.org
moving is a result of the Akuj being unhappy.
Two worlds apart! The climate debate needs