Semi-arid Areas in Transition: Livelihood Security, Socio-ecological Variability
and the Role of Development Interventions in East Africa
This is a three years project that deals with livelihood strategies in semi-arid regions of East Africa that are exposed to global climatic change
and undergo rapid transition due to migration, changing access-regimes, resource useconflicts, increasing relevance of centre-periphery
asymmetries, and limitations in governance. It comprises two sub-projects: The first focuses on vulnerability, resilience and adaptation
processes of rural poor under these dynamic conditions. Special emphasis is thereby put on the importance of multi-strategies – including their
multi-locality – and on aspects of gender and generational divides in a livelihood perspective. Building on these insights, the second sub-project
examines the role of development interventions from a livelihood perspective and identifies structural and procedural properties important in
approaches to reduce poverty and enhance the resilience and adaptive capacities of the rural poor. The project is based on case studies in four
regions of Kenya (Kibwezi/ Makueni Corridor and Laikipia Region) and Tanzania (Dodoma/Singida Corridor and Pangani Region) and applies a
comparative approach.The project builds on a network of senior scientists and includes two post-doc, four PhD, and eight master studies.
PostDocs: Chinwe Ifejika Speranza and Boniface Kiteme Focus: Contribution of Development Interventions to livelihoods security
PhDs: Paul Roden, Elmerinda Faustine, Edward Bikketi, and Sarah Ogalleh (associated)
Focus: Vulnerability, resilience and adaptation processes of rural poor
Masters: Faida, Girabi, Ruth Mazengo, Sofia Madoffe, Sylvester Haule,
Project Team
Main applicants
Prof. Dr. Marcus Nüsser, Department of Geography, South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 330, 69120
Heidelberg, Germany, Tel. ++49 - 6221-548922, Fax ++49 - 6221-545926, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Dr. Chinwe Ijeoma Ifejika Speranza (Mrs.), Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD), P.O. Box 144,
Nanyuki, Kenya email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Co-Applicants
Dr. Boniface Kiteme, Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD), P.O. Box 144,
Nanyuki, Kenya, Tel. ++254 – 062 31 328, Fax: ++254 – 062 31 323, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prof. Dr. Elias Ayiemba, Department of Geography, University of Nairobi, Kenya, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prof. Dr. Francis K. Lelo, Faculty of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya,
Tel. ++ 254 51 62185, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prof. Dr. Zebedayo S.K. Mvena, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
Dr. Davis Mwamfupe, Department of Geography, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prof. Dr. James Ngana, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Tel:
++255-22-2410144, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prof. Dr. Urs Wiesmann, Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), Department of Geography, University of
Bern, Hallerstrasse 10, 3012 Berne, Switzerland, Tel. ++41-31-6318869, Fax: +41 31 631 85 44, e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
CETRAD runs a rich hydromet data and information base generated from its long term and comprehensive monitoring network in the upper Ewaso Ngiro North river basin. Most of this data is now linked through a real time transmission system and interfaced to its database as well as to some selected Water Resources Users Associations (WRUAs) in the upstream areas.
