Mapping for Resilience: How Spatial Data is Transforming Karamoja Cluster

Pastoral communities in the Karamoja Cluster (a region spanning Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia) are experiencing increased tensions and conflicts over water, pasture and grazing lands [1], [2], [3].  

Open data can power smarter decisions. Recognizing the critical role of open data in fostering informed decision-making, That’s why the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOTOSM) ESA Hub, through the Beyond the Map Fund, awarded a grant to the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). This initiative aimed to leverage Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to map critical pastoral resources such as buildings, roads, towns/markets, waterways and water points across the Karamoja region.  

This blogpost explores how this mapping initiative provided critical data to promote resilience and peace building efforts in the region. 

Mapping Strategy: Desk-Based Analysis Meets Community Mapping 

CIAT and HOTOSM used a complementary two-pronged strategy.  

CIAT conducted a comprehensive desk-based spatial analysis of the entire Karamoja Cluster. This included classifying land cover using a Random Forest machine learning model, as well as analysing high-resolution aerial images to map key pastoral resources. Together, these efforts provided a foundational understanding of how pastoral resources are distributed across the region. 

In parallel, HOTOSM launched a volunteer mapping campaign focusing on 3 Turkana sub-counties: Turkana West, Turkana Central, and Loima. The campaign adopted a community-centred methodology, and began with the use of the Map Swipe platform to identify building footprints. Subsequent detailed mapping tasks were coordinated through the HOTOSM Tasking Manager, enabling volunteers to contribute localized insights and digitize additional pastoral resources.  

This joint approach enhanced the quality and accessibility of the data, while also empowering local stakeholders in the mapping process. The resulting geospatial data lays a vital groundwork for strategic planning, resource allocation, and conflict mitigation—supporting long-term climate adaptation and resilience for the pastoralists of the Karamoja Cluster. 

Key Findings: Unveiling Key Resources through Mapping 

Land Cover Analysis 

Grass land and bare land constitute the dominant land cover in Karamoja, each accounting for about 27% of the total area. This distribution reflects the semi-arid nature of the Karamoja region and highlights the presence of vast rangelands, vital for sustaining pastoral livelihoods. 

CIAT Remote mapping  

During the initial desk-based mapping phase, CIAT generated a total of 230 features providing an overview of the key infrastructure and natural resources across the region. These features included: 

• 103 waterways consisting of major rivers and main tributaries spanning 899 kilometres 

• 98 roads comprising both primary and secondary totalling 372 kilometres 

• 17 towns/markets: key areas for trade 

• 12 waterpoints including dams and water pans 

HOTOSM Volunteer Mapping Campaign 

The second phase comprised of two sequential activities. Initially, a MapSwipe project was established to identify building footprints, which mobilized 263 volunteer contributors. Subsequently, a mapping campaign was launched within the HOT Tasking Manager with five projects designed to distribute tasks among mappers and ensure comprehensive coverage of the region. This drew contributions from 85 individuals, with 35 active trained mappers who dedicated over 150 hours of their time throughout the campaign.  

This resulted in: 

• 52,261 edits made across all projects. 

• 20,705 identified and digitized buildings providing settlement information. 

• 3,839 kilometres of roads mapped enhancing transportation network data. 

• 36,986 kilometres of water ways digitized. 

The resulting spatial datasets provide a foundation for strategic planning, resource allocation and management and conflict mitigation.  

Key Takeaways: Empowering Pastoralists with Spatial Data 

This initiative yielded several takeaways that hold significant implications for supporting pastoral livelihoods and building climate resilience: 

• Enhanced resource understanding: The updated maps provide a clear picture of resource availability and distribution, empowering pastoral communities, local authorities, and organizations with informed decisions on resource allocation and management.  

• Improved infrastructure awareness: Mapped roads, buildings and towns, which also serve as livestock markets, offered insights into connectivity and access to essential services. This information can be used to plan infrastructure development and improve service delivery to pastoral communities. 

• Conflict mitigation: Transparent and accessible information of resource distribution can help communities manage shared resources more effectively and reduce tensions arising from uncertainty or perceived inequity. 

• Empowering local communities:  Engaging local communities in the mapping process fostered local ownership of the process, building capacity in both data collection and utilization. 

• Foundation for climate adaptation: The resulting datasets lay a vital foundation for evidence-based adaptation strategies, helping communities better prepare for climate induced challenges. 

 Looking Ahead: Towards Resilience 

This remote mapping initiative lays the foundation for more informed resource management, improved infrastructure planning, and potentially, a reduction in resource-based conflicts. 

Integrating spatial technologies with local knowledge and participatory approaches generates data that is not only accurate and comprehensive but also relevant to the unique needs of pastoralists. As the Karamoja Cluster continues to face climate change challenges, initiatives like this will be necessary for building a more resilient and sustainable future for its pastoral communities. 

The dataset is openly available through OpenStreetMap for download and use by researchers, NGOs, government agencies, and pastoral communities to develop targeted interventions, early warning systems, and resource management plans. Access to the full report here.  

Authors: Brenda Chepngetich, Basel Ashleigh, Jonathan Tsoka, Alessandro Craparo, Taiwo Ibukun, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT 

This work is carried out with support from the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program (CASP) and the CGIAR Food Frontiers and Security (FFS) Science Program. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund: https://www.cgiar.org/funders/