prbpcoordination@igad.int
The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) is a specialized institution of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), based in Nairobi, Kenya, mandated to provide timely climate early warning information and support specifc sector applications to enable the region cope with risks associated with climate variability and change including providing climate applications for poverty alleviation, environment management and sustainable development. ICPAC also hosts the Disaster Risk Management Unit and the IGAD Food Security,Nutrition and Resilience Analysis Hub (IFRAH).
The specialized IGAD Centre started as a Drought Monitoring Centre (DMC) in 1989, in response to the devastating drought that occurred in eastern Africa in the 1980s. A Protocol that fully integrated the institution into IGAD was signed on 13 April 2007. The Centre serves eight IGAD member countries namely: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda as well as three non-IGAD member countries, namely Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.
This training manual provides practical guidance on strengthening Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in cross-border settings, with a focus on the Karamoja, Moyale–Moyale and Mandera Triangle clusters.
It introduces the core components of effective early warning systems - risk knowledge, monitoring and forecasting, warning communication, and preparedness for action - while emphasising people-centred, multi-sector and cross-border coordination approaches.
The module also guides users in applying ICPAC’s regional tools, including drought monitoring and risk analysis platforms, to support timely, evidence-based decision-making.
The report, commissioned by the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) with funding from GIZ under SCIDA III, presents a framework and Operational Manual for Rangeland Health Monitoring across the IGAD region, focusing on the Karamoja cluster in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
The framework adopts a multidisciplinary and participatory approach, integrating geospatial analysis, ecological field assessments, indigenous knowledge and community engagement. It identifies key indicators for monitoring vegetation cover, biomass, soil quality, biodiversity, water resources and socioeconomic conditions.
The study highlights variations in rangeland conditions across the region, particularly between Turkana and Karamoja, emphasising the importance of context-specific monitoring and management interventions.
Key recommendations include:
Establishing standardised, evidence-based rangeland health monitoring systems.
Integrating satellite observations with community-based ecological assessments.
Strengthening local capacities through participatory tools such as Participatory Grassland and Rangeland Assessment (PRAGA) and Participatory Rangeland Management (PRM).
Applying tools such as Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF) and Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS) to support monitoring and decision-making.
Regularly reviewing monitoring frameworks to reflect changing ecological and climatic conditions.
Overall, the report provides a practical foundation for strengthening sustainable rangeland management, improving climate resilience and supporting informed decision-making to safeguard pastoral livelihoods and ecosystems across the IGAD region.
