Dynamism in the Drylands of South Sudan

This report looks at volatility in South Sudan's drylands, and discusses the short-term strategies pastoralists use when responding to emerging threats and the longer-term changes to their priorities. To paint a comprehensive picture of evolving livelihood trajectories in the drylands, this report draws on three rounds of in-depth interviews (IDIs) with male and female pastoralists conducted between February 2021 and March 2022, as part of the SPARC programme. This analysis is especially timely for donors and programme implementers weighing livelihood support priorities amidst increasing climate- and conflict-related volatility in the drylands. It is critical that aid actors contextualize short-term changes in households’ livelihood strategies in the longer-term ebb and flow of pastoral livelihoods while also accounting for the diverse aspirations and priorities underpinning households’ livelihood investments.