The Horn of Africa is one of the most drought-prone regions in the world. Frequent and prolonged dry spells have deepened food insecurity, degraded ecosystems, and threatened the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers and pastoralists. To confront these challenges, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), in collaboration with the Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa (GWPEA) and the governments of Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda, is implementing the DRESS-EA Project — Strengthening Drought Resilience for Smallholder Farmers and Pastoralists in the IGAD Region.
With funding of USD 13 million from the Adaptation Fund, the DRESS-EA project takes a coordinated regional approach to tackling drought and climate risks, ensuring that communities, institutions, and ecosystems are better prepared to manage water scarcity and sustain livelihoods.
Project Overview
Implementing Entity: Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS)
Executing Entity: Global Water Partnership Eastern Africa (GWPEA)
Partner Countries: Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda
Duration: 2020–2026
Total Budget: USD 13,079,540
Thematic Area: Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning Systems
The project directly supports the IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The Challenge
Across Djibouti, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda, livelihoods depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture and pastoralism. Between 60% and 70% of land in the region is arid or semi-arid, receiving less than 600 mm of rainfall annually. Increasing climate variability has intensified drought frequency and duration, reducing agricultural productivity, depleting water resources, and heightening conflicts over grazing and water.
In many areas, the adaptive capacity of local communities remains low. Early Warning Systems (EWS) are limited, institutional coordination is weak, and information rarely reaches smallholder farmers or pastoralists in time to plan effective responses.
Project Objectives
The DRESS-EA Project is driven by a single overarching goal: to strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers and pastoralists in the IGAD region against the growing threats of drought and climate change. This goal is pursued through four interlinked objectives that combine science, community action, and regional cooperation.
1. Developing and Enhancing a Regional Drought Early Warning System
A key pillar of the project is the establishment of an effective and integrated Drought Early Warning System (EWS) that operates across national borders. Reliable and timely information enables farmers and pastoralists to make informed decisions before droughts reach crisis levels. DRESS-EA focuses on upgrading weather stations, expanding data collection networks, and improving communication channels between meteorological agencies and local communities.
By linking national systems into a regional framework, the project ensures that early warning messages are accurate, accessible, and actionable. This helps governments and communities anticipate and respond to drought risks proactively—protecting crops, livestock, and livelihoods.
2. Strengthening the Capacity of Stakeholders to Manage Drought Risks
Resilience is not built by technology alone—it depends on people and institutions having the capacity to act. DRESS-EA invests in strengthening the skills and knowledge of key stakeholders, from local farmers and pastoralists to national disaster management authorities.
Through training, participatory planning, and the development of Drought Management Plans (DMPs), the project enhances the ability of institutions to integrate drought risk management into broader development strategies. By encouraging collaboration among countries, it also promotes the sharing of expertise and best practices, ensuring that lessons learned in one area can benefit others across the IGAD region.
3. Supporting Innovative Drought and Climate Change Adaptation Actions
At the community level, DRESS-EA supports practical, on-the-ground interventions that directly improve resilience. These include constructing water harvesting and storage structures, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and introducing drought-tolerant crops and livestock breeds.
The project also empowers women and youth through income-generating activities (IGAs) such as beekeeping, production of energy-saving stoves, eco-tourism, and small-scale agribusinesses. These innovations diversify livelihoods, reduce dependency on rainfall, and contribute to local economic stability even during drought conditions.
4. Enhancing Knowledge Management and Awareness
Knowledge sharing is the cornerstone of sustainable resilience. Under this objective, DRESS-EA focuses on capturing lessons learned, documenting success stories, and promoting regional and global exchange. The project’s Knowledge Management and Awareness component ensures that valuable experiences from field implementation are transformed into practical guidance, case studies, and policy briefs.
Regional learning events, digital platforms, and participation in international forums—such as the UNCCD CRIC 23 and COP 30—help to amplify the visibility of the IGAD region’s achievements in drought resilience. These efforts not only raise awareness but also strengthen the institutional memory needed to sustain progress beyond the project’s completion.
Expected Impacts
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1 million + beneficiaries (farmers and pastoralists) with improved resilience to drought.
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Enhanced food and water security through sustainable land and water management.
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Strengthened institutional capacities for climate risk management at local, national, and regional levels.
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Knowledge networks and partnerships linking the Horn of Africa to global adaptation dialogues.
Conclusion
The DRESS-EA Project embodies the spirit of regional cooperation and innovation in climate adaptation. By combining science, policy, and local knowledge, it not only strengthens drought resilience for today’s communities but also lays the foundation for long-term sustainability and peace in the Horn of Africa.
As it approaches completion in 2026, DRESS-EA stands as a testament to how collaborative, knowledge-driven action can transform vulnerability into resilience and ensure that the lessons of drought today become the strategies of survival tomorrow.