Ethiopia is a land-locked country with large highland areas, home to the majority of its population. But around 60% of the country are characterised by arid or semi-arid conditions, scarce vegetation cover and a low population density. These drylands, forming the regional states of Afar and Somali, and large parts of Oromiya and the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR), are the least developed and poorest regions of Ethiopia. It is a food insecure region with more than half of its population living below the absolute poverty line. In spite of the climatic and ecological conditions, the population follows a semi-nomadic pastoral system. Recurrent droughts, unreliable rainy seasons, degraded soils and intense erosion processes make the livelihoods of the local population highly vulnerable. The originally well adapted and drought resilient livelihood system is coming under increasing pressure due to population growth, climate change impacts, disease outbreaks, market failures, violent conflicts and external interventions by governmental programmes or large investors in the form of land acquisition.

Climate change effects are significant in the arid and semi-arid regions of Ethiopia and have worsened the living conditions for the pastoralists. The recurrent rainy seasons became less reliable and droughts more frequent, so that rangelands receive only sporadic rainfall and decrease in quality. Consequently, formally good rangelands are over utilised and deteriorated leading to undernourished livestock and decreasing herds.