The Annual Ewaso Camel Caravan 2025 commenced on August 4 at Nkutuk eNg’irion in Samburu County, bringing together more than 200 participants from across the Ewaso Ng’iro Basin under the theme Advancing Pastoralism, Peace and Rangelands Management for a Sustainable Future.
The week-long journey served as a moving platform for dialogue, environmental restoration, and cultural celebration, drawing pastoralists from the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the basin along with Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs).
In a spirited show of commitment to rangeland rehabilitation, communities at various stopover points actively participated in restoring degraded lands.
Activities included the construction of semi-circular bunds designed to capture rainwater and regenerate vegetation, an approach that organisers described as “every step counts for a greener future.”
Alongside the practical conservation work, caravan organisers screened documentaries at each stop to engage residents on natural resource management and to promote peaceful coexistence among pastoral communities often faced with resource-based tensions.
The event also provided space for crucial dialogues on resource sharing, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding.
These conversations, facilitated by Regional Pastoralists Peace Link (RPPL) and other partners, sought to strengthen cooperation between communities whose livelihoods are deeply tied to the health of shared rangelands and water resources.
Cultural heritage took centre stage in the form of an indigenous food festival, which offered a feast of traditional dishes from diverse communities.
The festival celebrated local food systems while fostering cultural exchange and promoting food sovereignty, highlighting the intrinsic link between sustainable ecosystems and resilient cultures.
The caravan concluded at Westgate Conservancy in Samburu County, where closing celebrations featured speeches from key stakeholders and policymakers.
Speakers urged collective action to restore and protect the Ewaso Ng’iro ecosystem, emphasising the urgent need to safeguard biodiversity and water resources in the face of climate change and population pressures.
The highlight of this year’s event was the signing of the Westgate Declaration, a landmark agreement emerging from the six days of community dialogues.
As explained by the Regional Pastoralists Peace Link, the declaration represents a unified commitment by pastoralist communities, conservation groups, and local leaders to work together toward a sustainable and thriving Ewaso Ng’iro Basin.
Organisers hailed the document as a powerful statement of solidarity and a blueprint for long-term ecosystem restoration, peace, and prosperity in the region.
The Ewaso Camel Caravan, now a flagship initiative for environmental advocacy and peacebuilding in northern Kenya, continues to serve as a reminder that the path to sustainability is one that communities must walk together, sometimes quite literally, step by step across the rangelands they call home.