Societal transformation, buzzy perspectives towards successful climate change adaptation: An appeal to caution

Abstract

Societal Transformation (ST) is taken as the promise towards successful Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in recent discourses. With the example of the Nyangatom, one of the World Cultural Heritage (UNESCO) pastoralist ethnic groups in South Omo/South Ethiopia, any unanimous belief in the power of ST is challenged! In interpretation of data from ethnographic research, perspectives of actors on the ground highlight imminent dangers of well-recognized and accepted adaptive measures. The ‘committee’, central requisite of Enclosed Rangeland Management schemes, translates into a ST without return! The paper is meant to warn against a too ready euphuism towards ST as well as to give a voice to pastoralists in their needs and concerns, a voice, which is generally refused to them in given political environments in Ethiopia and in Africa in general.