In the villages of the Nugaal valley, the conversation always comes back to water. After two consecutive rainy seasons that delivered far less than expected, the berkads families rely on are low or empty.
Rising costs
Water trucked in from boreholes now costs several times what it did a year ago, herders told us. For families whose income depends on goats and camels, every extra dollar spent on water is a dollar not spent on food or school fees.
When the berkad is empty, you either buy water or you move. Most of us are doing both.
Moving the herds
Many families have split up: younger men move livestock towards better pasture while women, children and older relatives remain in the villages.
What could help
Water engineers point to rehabilitating existing boreholes, better berkad maintenance and early-warning systems as the measures most likely to reduce losses before the next dry season.
