Faced with floods: shifting livelihood strategies among South Sudan’s pastoralists

Conflict and climate shocks are reshaping pastoral and agro‑pastoral livelihood systems across South Sudan. Prolonged and widespread flooding has devastated crops and livestock, forcing households to reorient their livelihood strategies in Unity State and beyond. Yet evidence remains limited on how pastoralists and agro‑pastoralists are adapting, and whether these shifts represent temporary coping mechanisms or signal permanent transformations in pastoral systems.

This report addresses these knowledge gaps by examining livelihood portfolio changes among affected households in Unity State. It explores donor and implementer concerns about the future viability of pastoralism, including prospects for recovery, the likelihood of resuming pastoral production, and the timeframes required for rebuilding resilience.

Findings highlight both the volatility of pastoral livelihoods under climate and conflict pressures and the need for adaptive, context‑sensitive support that aligns with communities’ evolving strategies in the face of uncertainty.