Join CLARE at Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) Africa 2026, taking place in Nairobi, Kenya from 6-7 May 2026 under the theme “Stewarding Our Rangelands”.

At GLF Africa, CLARE will co-host a session on “Drylands of tomorrow – Narratives and know-how from an abundant world”. The session will explore what investing in the Horn of Africa’s drylands can achieve when the starting point is an ‘abundance narrative’ grounded in the diverse capacities, innovation, adaptability and entrepreneurship of pastoralists. The session will take place on 7 May from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Watering Point Pavilion.

This session moves away from the ‘scarcity’ narratives that are often used to describe drylands, rangelands and pastoralists, which distract from the real economic, social and resilience opportunities that rangelands and pastoralists provide and often lead to misplaced policies and interventions.

Convened by Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action, CLARE Programme, IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas & Livestock Development, and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the session will showcase the good news when opportunities guide narratives and investments.

The session will feature insights from the following members of the CLARE community:

• Alice A. Oluoko-Odongo, Associate Professor at University of Nairobi
  • Alice A. Oluoko-Odingo is Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Population and Environmental Studies, University of Nairobi. She is the current Chairperson, University of Nairobi Corporate Gender, Equity, and Inclusivity mainstreaming Committee, Social Research and Gender Lead in the CLARE Programme’s PALM-TREEs Project (EA) and GEO-7 Experts (Coordinating lead Author on Food systems). She is Vice President and Director of the Academic Council on United Nations System (ACUNS), Chairperson, FAWE (Kenya Chapter), Soroptimist International W7 Advisor, and founding Chairperson of the Centre for Education on Sustainable Development in Africa (CESDA). She is past Vice Chair and National Coordinator of the United Nation’s University and Partner Universities Programme on Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA)(NGR), former Gender Focal Point- at the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), Nairobi (where she was involved in convening many Gender fora within IGAD sub-region), global director Association of Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)(2009-2011) and Soroptimist International UN Environment Representative (2008-2015).
• Ahmed Mohamoud, Project Coordinator at IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development
  • Ahmed Mohamoud is a Project Coordinator at the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) as well as co-Principal Investigator of the PASSAGE project. At ICPALD, he leads the implementation of regional initiatives focused on strengthening the livelihoods and resilience of pastoral communities across the Greater Horn of Africa. His work centres on bridging science, policy, and practice by translating climate risk information into actionable strategies that enhance resilience in transboundary dryland systems, with a particular focus on strengthening early warning systems and anticipatory action. Through his role, he supports the design and coordination of approaches that integrate community knowledge, institutional systems, and innovative tools to improve decision-making, safeguard pastoral livelihoods, and promote sustainable development across the region.
• Nicholas Otienoh Oguge, Senior Scientist in Environmental Policy at University of Nairobi
  • Prof. Nicholas (Nick) Otienoh Oguge is a senior scientist in environmental policy at the University of Nairobi as well as the Principal Investigator of the CLARE-funded BIMA project. His research centres on nature conservation and landscape conservation, emphasizing the creation and adoption of strategies that advance both regional and site-specific conservation objectives. His work supports the implementation of measures that aim to provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities, preserve space for wildlife, and encourage sustainable business opportunities in the East African region.

Participants will also have the chance to hear from other professionals working to strengthen the resilience of pastoralists:

• Bilach Jimale, Head of Programmes at Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative
• Watson Lepariyo, Research Associate at International Livestock Research Institute
• Edinah Samuel, Consultant at UNICEF Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub
• Ikal Ang’elei, Director at Friends of Lake Turkana
• Tahira Mohamed, Regional Engagement Lead at Jameel Observatory
• Guyo Malicha Roba, Head of Dryland Development Unit at IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development
• Samuel Derbyshire, Regional Lead at Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action, International Livestock Research Institute