Pastoralist families across Africa rely on their herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels for food, income, and survival.
But erratic weather patterns and widespread land degradation are putting this way of life under severe strain. Nearly 70% of Africa’s grasslands are degraded, making it harder for these nomadic herders to find healthy pasture and water. The consequences are devastating. When access to grass and water is limited, pastoralists can lose up to a third of their livestock — worth thousands of dollars locally. These losses often force families into harsh tradeoffs such as overgrazing fragile lands, clashing over scarce resources, or going hungry.
Mapping a Solution for Pastoralists
AfriScout, a mobile app developed by Global Communities, is helping change that reality. By blending traditional knowledge with satellite imagery, the app provides digital grazing maps that reveal where water and vegetation are available in real time across millions of hectares of rangeland.
Instead of relying on word of mouth or long and costly scouting trips, herders can make informed migration decisions in minutes. AfriScout strengthens pastoralists’ existing knowledge of the land with fresh insights that protect herds and help restore fragile landscapes.
“Previously, we sent scouts to various places to find out if there is rangeland or not. During that time, many cattle would die because we might not find any rangeland,” says Kole Kilkila, a pastoralist from the South Omo zone of Ethiopia. “Now, thanks to AfriScout, we can easily see whether there is water or not, even pasture. This helps support our livelihood.”
Photograph: © Steven Wade Adams
How It Works
When pastoralists open the AfriScout app, they see a map of their community’s rangelands. Satellite data highlights where pasture and water are available before they set out, saving time and reducing risk. To safeguard wildlife and conservation areas, maps are limited to the customary rangeland boundaries validated by host communities and local authorities.
AfriScout is also interactive. Herders can share real-time updates about predators, disease outbreaks, or conflict zones, making the maps a living resource for the entire community. Local field agents train new users and support existing ones so families can get the most out of the service.
“I have used AfriScout and trained other pastoralists on how to use the app for several years now. Can you imagine knowing the exact distance to where you are migrating your livestock to and planning your route in advance? That was unthinkable just a few years ago.”
- Francisco Lokuru, an AfriScout field agent in Laisamis, Kenya
45,000+
AfriScout user accounts
supporting more than
300,000 households
59 million
hectares of rangelands
mapped in Ethiopia,
Kenya, and Tanzania
70
pastoral communities in
southern Ethiopia participating
in AfriScout ReGen
Why It Matters
AfriScout is more than a digital tool. It’s a lifeline for families and a safeguard for one of the planet’s most important ecosystems. By helping herders make smarter grazing decisions, the app reduces financial losses that come with losing animals and cuts down the time and energy once spent on risky scouting trips. Families can invest those savings into food, education, and health care, building a stronger future for their children.
The benefits also ripple outward. With healthier herds, communities experience less conflict over dwindling resources and greater cooperation in managing shared lands. As overgrazing decreases, rangelands begin to recover, wildlife habitats are preserved, and fragile ecosystems are given a chance to regenerate.
At its core, AfriScout is about dignity and resilience. By blending technology with generations of traditional knowledge, it empowers pastoralist families not only to survive but to thrive, protecting their culture and way of life while restoring the grasslands that sustain millions across Africa.
In 2018, an independent study found that 68% of AfriScout users improved pasture management simply by using the app’s digital grazing maps. Pastoralists reported healthier lands as they learned to better time herd movements and manage grazing pressure.
Building on this success, AfriScout introduced Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) grazing, a science-driven practice that mimics natural herd movements to restore soil health, increase water retention, boost biodiversity, and capture carbon. Historically confined to small private ranches, AMP had never been applied across vast communal rangelands.
With guidance from Dr. Astrid Heulin, a veterinarian and advocate for regenerative practices, AfriScout adapted AMP for pastoralist communities. In 2022, we launched a coordinated training program supported by a specialized version of the app called AfriScout Regen. Powered by satellite data and machine learning, Regen guides pastoralists on when and where to move herds, making coordinated AMP grazing possible across millions of hectares.
Since its launch in Ethiopia in 2023, AfriScout Regen has expanded to 70 pastoral groups across Oromia, South Omo, and Somalia. Together, they now manage 1.5 million hectares of rangeland and 1 million animals, making AfriScout Regen one of the world’s largest regenerative grazing projects in the world.
The results are clear: healthier pastures, stronger herds, increased biodiversity, and greater community confidence in managing shared lands. With the project now listed on Verra, a leading global carbon registry, AfriScout Regen is also opening access to climate finance — allowing pastoralist families to benefit from global investments in carbon capture and land restoration.