Humanitarian Photography and African Pastoralism

African Pastoralism is an Adaptation

Each evening Nuer people bring their cattle from pasture to the center of the village for protection from wild animals and thieves. ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017.

I am very excited to announce I will soon travel to Kenya on a humanitarian photography assignment to capture the stories of the impact of an innovative application of technology initiated in Africa more than 10 years ago. What began as an humanitarian effort to assist nomadic pastoralists mitigate the direct impact of climatic change in drought-stricken Africa has subsequently revealed even greater potential to deliver vast ecological impact by restoring ecosystems, sequestering huge quantities of carbon and delivering material impact to our changing climate. To better appreciate the full potential of this program it is worthwhile to review the role of the nomadic pastoralist in Africa that has co-evolved over millennia.

Across the vast landscapes of this continent, pastoralist societies have long relied on traditional knowledge of land and weather patterns as well as their intuition to navigate the challenges posed by repeating cycles of climatic variation and drought to sustain their livelihoods. By closely monitoring the weather, the behavior of animals and the growth patterns of vegetation, pastoralists have been able to predict and follow the best grazing areas and water sources. Pastoralism is, at its core, a proven survival strategy to deal with changing weather patterns and inherent inconsistency of food and water supply. Their traditional lifestyle also relies on the ability to move freely across a wide range of terrain (and across borders). Such regular movement of animals across vast tracks of land prevents animals staying in one location for too long and ensures an ecological balance by encouraging new plant growth and allowing the grazed land to recover. Regular regrowth of the grasslands not only benefits cattle, but wildlife and the entire ecosystem. This adaptation has co-evolved with the entire ecosystem across Africa for many millennia. Unfortunately, various geopolitical pressures can impact movement and rapidly accelerating climate change brings increased unpredictability to weather patterns making it ever more challenging to rely solely on intuition and ancestral knowledge.to find water and forage and thereby maintain livestock and local livelihoods.

Pastoralists move their cattle in search of food and water ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017

There is therefore an acute need across Africa for a more robust and data-driven approach to managing the unique characteristics of nomadic pastoralism that can provide an ecologically sustainable approach to livestock production which in turn provides human populations greater sustainability both in terms of a more reliable food supply but also supports maintenance of their ancient traditional way of life.

Access to up-to-date and accurate sources of weather and other environmental data, could provide pastoralists the ablity to go beyond their reliance on historical methodologies and improve outcomes. The technology provided by Afriscout is filling this gap in Ethiopia, Keny and Tanzania, with a long term vision to expand across the African continent. I have long been intrigued by the role of pastoralism as an ecologically sound approach to livestock production and it is with great excitement that I will soon travel to Kenya to witness the most recent developments and deployments of Afriscout with a goal of photographing and documenting improvements to the lives of local families and the potential of this innovative program to impact the climate globally.

History of Drought in East Africa

East Africa has had a long and tumultuous history of grappling with drought, which has had profound impacts on the region's societies, economies, and ecosystems. The factors contributing to the recurring droughts in East Africa are complex, encompassing both natural and human-induced elements. During the 20th century, the impact of droughts became more pronounced as the region's population grew and agricultural activities expanded. The infamous drought of the early 1980s stands out as one of the most severe in East Africa's modern history, causing widespread food shortages and massive human suffering. More recent accelerating climate change, deforestation, overgrazing, and land degradation have all exacerbated the frequency and severity of droughts in the region. The demographics of Africa further compound the challenges as it has the youngest and fastest growing population in the world, which further amplifies the pressure on land and resources.

A young Suri man with his families cattle. ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017

The delicate ecological balance of East Africa, including the vital water sources such as Lake Victoria and the Nile River, has been deeply affected by these factors. Social and economic repercussions of droughts have been profound,

The pastoralist communities in East Africa have been hit especially hard, as droughts decimated their livestock leading to food insecurity, displacement, and heightened vulnerability to disease outbreaks in people and animals. As East Africa faces today’s realities, it is evident that an approach that encompasses environmental conservation, sustainable development, and climate adaptation strategies is essential to building a more resilient future for the region.

Afriscout: Combining Technology with Traditional Agriculture

Non-Profit Photography and Afriscout

Afriscout helps pastoralists to find water supplies more efficiently than traditional methods ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017

More than 10 years ago, Project Concern International (PCI, now part of Global Communities) an international development non-profit began working with pastoralists in rural Ethiopia to identify approaches to better respond to catastrophic drought, which culminated in the development of a unique technological approach to assisting pastoralists which is known as Afriscout. In 2017, I completed a humanitarian photography assignment in Ethiopia for PCI to photograph a major climate resiliency program sponsored by a USAID known as Project REVIVE. Afriscout was a key component of this program and has continued to expand significantly in Ethiopia. as a basis for a land management system that relies on a satellite-enabled, smartphone app that provides pastoralists a more efficient mechanism to find water and food for their livestock and also avoid inefficient movement across barren landscapes which often leads to significant loss of animal and human life. Global Communities has a vision of expanding Afriscout across Africa as the cornerstone of a comprehensive land management program to optimize the restoration of grazing land across vast areas of land in Africa. I am excited to now return to Africa with Global Communities on a new humanitarian photography and video assignment to capture the advances of this program as they plan for expansion across Africa with a bolder and far-reaching vision that has the potential to make a significant impact to the people being impacted by climate change.

Courtesy of Afriscout, Global Communities

The Afriscout program has so far mapped more than 57 million hectares of grasslands in East Africa and the smartphone app has been downloaded by more than 38,000 pastoralists in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The development and refinement of the app continues in collaboration with the pastoralists themselves. Respecting and incorporating traditional wisdom with modern innovation, this powerful approach provides real-time satellite data, weather forecasts, and vegetation analysis to empower pastoralists to make more informed decisions about grazing patterns and water resources. The resulting improvements in herd health are now impacting the lives of more than 1.7 million people by driving more effective migration which in turn, has resulted in improved animal and human well-being, reduced conflict with other communities. It has also enabled improved government responsiveness to disease while simultaneously supporting traditional ways of life. It is already the largest grassland restoration project in the world with massive additional potential.

After more than a decade of use, Global Communities has demonstrated that Afriscout has improved the health of the livestock which directly correlates with better outcomes for families. While the initial objective of this program was to address serious and immediate humanitarian needs, more recently it has come into focus that this program results in more sustainable land management, improvements to fragile ecosystems with significant potential for sustained impact to global climate change.

Afriscout: How does it work?

The heart of Afriscout is a user-friendly mobile application that provides pastoralists ready access the data and analysis they can use to make informed grazing decisions. The software combines satellite data, weather forecasts, and vegetation analysis to provide real-time information and insights. The interactive interface also allows users themselves the ability to identify and log areas of conflict or disease, further adding to the long-term value of the application.

The system relies on a network of satellites that capture high-resolution images of the Earth's surface. These images are then processed using advanced algorithms to extract information regarding vegetation health, water availability, and weather patterns. During the early days of implementing Afriscout, the satellite maps were printed and manually distributed to users. While this approach represented a huge advance in knowledge, the logistics for ensuring access to the data over wide areas was challenging and was quickly out of date. Using a mobile app-based approach, the data can be provided in real-time in a more user-friendly format for rapid delivery to user’s smartphones.

PCI-Ethiopia staff example the latest satellite maps that show location of probable forage and water. Physical maps were regularly distributed to herders prior to the implementation of the mobile app. ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017

Non-Profit Photography in East Africa: Documenting Impact

Afriscout Launches Historic Carbon Capture Study

In 2017, my humanitarian photography assignment to Ethiopia included the contribution of Afriscout within the context of a larger aid program with broad goals of improving the lives of the pastoralist communities at the local level. While this remains a core aspect of the Afriscout today, the current vision for impact is now significantly broader. In a monumental step towards mitigating climate change, Afriscout has announced the initiation of the world's largest carbon capture study aimed at validating carbon capture technologies at an unprecedented scale. This ambitious endeavor marks a significant milestone in the global efforts to combat greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality.

Cattle visit a water source during the short wet period in Oromia, Ethiopia, ©Steven Wade Adams, Ethiopia 2017

This pioneering study, set to be conducted in diverse ecosystems for a period of two years will seek to verify the impact of the program on growing grass and sequestration of carbon. The long-term vision is to scale these carbon capture methods across the African continent. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and diverse scientific expertise, Afriscout plans to utilize unique and invaluable insights to inform the development of sustainable practices for grassland management and carbon sequestration.
As the world grapples with the urgent need to curb carbon emissions, Afriscout's monumental carbon capture study stands as a beacon of hope, heralding a potentlal new era of sustainable environmental practices and fostering collective action towards a healthier planet for current and future generations. As I soon go to the field to create photographic and film materials for various stakeholders, I am greatly inspired by not only the immediate impact but also by the vast potential to impact climate globally.

My Personal Journey to One Health & Humanitarian Photography

I sometimes share my story as a young veterinary student when I had the opportunity to be taught the concept of “One Medicine” or “One Health” first hand by the late Calvin Schwabe. Dr Schwabe is often referred to as the father of veterinary epidemiology and credited for coining the term “One Medicine”, which was later referred to as “One Health”. The central concept of One Medicine/One Health is that human and animal health are actually one and the same,, both based on the same paradigm and highly dependent upon one other. These concepts have always resonated throughout my entire career as the pursuit of health for humans and animals both have played important roles.

As I collaborate with Global Communities to create inspiring images and educational materials for Afriscout, I am reminded of the wisdom and lessons of Dr. Schwabe and his deep commitment to the One Health concept and world view. With what now seems a clairvoyant nod to Afriscout, he often spoke of the critical role of the pastoralist and livestock production in more “natural” conditions. While my interactions with Dr. Schwabe were many years ago, long before smart phones and technology enabled apps or even main-stream discussion of climate change, I am struck by the wisdom of his vision and how Afriscout represents a total embodiment of the One Medicine - One Health concept. It fully represents the complex interrelationship between animal and human health as well as the health of the ecosystems of our entire planet. My professional, medical and scientific life began in veterinary medicine before focusing on human health before moving to a focus on stagey and creative storytelling. Regardless of the specifics of a specific assignment, I retain the drive to preserve and advance the concept of One Health and honor Dr. Schwab’s monumental legacy for the sake of all living things and our planet. I will carry this inspiration with me as I travel to Kenya to witness the expanding impact of Afriscout.

Humanitarian Photography and Documentary to Capture the Personal Stories of African Pastoralists

My personal connection to Afriscout began back in 2017 when I traveled to Ethiopia to photograph the REVIVE program for Project Concern International and PCI-Ethiopia. In 2023, I had the fortune to reengage with Global Communities and assist the team in articulating a refined strategy to extend the vision for impact that now extends far beyond its laudable humanitarian roots to an expanding initiative with the potential to make tangible impact the global climate far beyond the borders when Afriscout is deployed.

By working closely with Afriscout’s technical and communications teams, I will soon travel to the field armed with a more intimate knowledge of the technical objectives and clearer insight to the long-term vision and wide-ranging opportunity for impact of this incredible program. I am energized by the opportunity to now proceed to increasingly creative phases to prepare for work in the field. The focus will be the capture the stories of the climate heroes of east Africa as I witness them combining tradition with technology in the effort to maintain traditional livelihoods, enhance food security, and create opportunities for sustainable development and global climatic impact. Armed with an updated understanding of the bigger, bolder goals of the program as it exists today, I am excited to have the opportunity to now listen, learn and record the stories of the individuals implementing this program at the local level and draw a deeper appreciation of their personal challenges and hopes for the future.

While not strictly limited to the elements found in my Humanitarian Photography Brief Template, many of the discussions and workshops followed the principles I recently summarized in my blog on how to create a Humanitarian Photography Brief.

This project will likely be a lengthy one as we engage a range of people to create rich and meaningful visual stories that can be shared around the world as a testament to the impact of Afriscout. If you have not already done so, I hope you will sign up for my newsletter and follow me as we move further in to 2024 and I work on various assignments such as Afriscout that aim to document real and tangible examples that tell the world of the concepts of One Health that benefit the health of all animals and people, but also of our entire planet.

Humanitarian Photography in Africa