Pastoralists rely on wet-season rains to grow fodder for their cattle, sheep and goats for the remainder of the year. Herds can act something like a bank account, where animals are kept and sold for cash as needed.

Climate change is amplifying extreme weather conditions across southern Africa. Dry seasons are getting hotter and drier, while rains are becoming heavier and more concentrated. This means greater swings between production surplus and scarcity for rural communities that make their living from the land.