Discussion on Somali pastoralists & extreme weather by Hana,James, &Martin

In collaboration with the Anglo-Somali Society and Zamzam Foundation UK (ZFUK), Kayd invites you to join us for a discussion with Hana Khader, James Firebrace, and Martin Cottingham about their recent work in the Somali Horn on seasonal forecasting.

Due to Climate Change, the Somali inhabited areas of the Eastern Horn of Africa are facing increasingly extreme weather, both sequences of dry seasons and dramatic floods. 60% of this population are nomadic pastoralists. Two major multi-year droughts in the last decade each led to massive loss of livestock and the loss of livelihoods for hundreds of thousands. These enforced 'drop-outs' from pastoralism, now subsist in displaced peoples' camps or must eke a living in urban centres. Breakthroughs in AI and satellite technology are enabling increasingly accurate forecasts of the season ahead, and are providing hope of vital support to inform the pastoralists' decisions as they manage their herds in this increasingly uncertain and challenging environment.

Hana Khader has a background in Politics and International Relations (BA Queen Mary University of London), and is a Quality Assurance Analyst at TikTok, where she leads teams training and optimizing AI systems. She has worked closely with the Somali Regional State Head of Cabinet and Disaster Risk Management. She is fluent in Somali and brings unique cultural insights to this initiative as well as familiarity with the fast-moving world of tech innovation.

James Firebrace holds Masters in both Social and Political Science (Cambridge 1974) and in International Business Administration (London Business School, 1990). He is the author of several publications and was awarded a UNA Peace Prize for his earlier work on the Ethiopian drought, famine and displacement. He worked in Somalia during the refugee crisis of the late 1970s and with Somaliland pastoralists and livestock authorities during the major drought of 2016-17. James Firebrace Associates (JFA) was established in 1998 to carry out strategic assessments of critical issues and action plans for the most vulnerable countries of the Horn and Middle East.

Martin Cottingham became Head of UK Development and Communications at Zamzam Foundation UK in 2024. With over 35 years’ experience in non-profit communications and advocacy, he previously spent 12 years at Islamic Relief in senior roles, including Director of External Relations and Advocacy. Martin has authored reports on Somalia’s humanitarian challenges and the impacts of climate change in developing countries. He is passionate about progressive policy change, championing localisation, and directing aid through local organisations like Zamzam Foundation, Somalia’s largest charity.

Language: English

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