East Africa’s arid and semi-arid regions are experiencing more frequent droughts and resource scarcity due to climate change. Pastoralist communities, whose livelihoods depend on water and grazing land for their herds, are particularly hard-hit. Competition over these shrinking resources has sparked local disputes and violent conflicts. However, faith actors have often emerged as crucial peacebuilders in these crises.

The Faith and Climate Migration report by the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local communities (JLI) and Christian Aid noted that faith actors’ deep roots in the community and moral authority enable them to calm tensions and mediate conflicts where secular interventions may struggle. Importantly, this critical role of faith leaders in defusing climate-induced conflicts is increasingly recognized in research and practice. Reports highlight that although faith actors’ efforts are sometimes under-documented, they frequently act as the bridge between feuding groups, guiding communities toward dialogue and reconciliation using shared values and trust.

Case Study: Mediating Drought-Driven Conflict in Northern Kenya

Back in 2019, in Northern Kenya’s Mandera County, a severe drought pushed pastoral communities to the brink of starvation, threatening their very survival. Wells ran dry and pastures withered, forcing herders to migrate in search of water and grazing. Tensions flared between clans and neighboring communities competing over the few remaining water points. As violence loomed, local faith actors stepped in to intervene. Islamic Relief, a faith-based humanitarian organization, helped convene community dialogues and innovative peace initiatives in this Muslim-majority area. These efforts included training and supporting informal peace committees of elders, women, and youth, and even hosting radio talk shows on local stations to spread messages of peace.

On one such radio program, clan elders, imams, and community activists discussed an escalating dispute over a vital borehole.

An Islamic scholar joined the broadcast to remind listeners of their religious duty to resolve conflicts peacefully. 

“Sometimes Islamic scholars are able to calm tensions by explaining what Islamic texts and traditions say about resolving conflict with your neighbours. This reminds people of their commitments to each other and to Allah as Muslims,” an Islamic Relief adviser observed. Listeners heard Quranic teachings that emphasize justice and reconciliation  such as, “O you who believe, be steadfast in justice… let not the hatred of others make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice” (Qur’an 5:8).

Such faith-based appeals struck a chord among community members. Combatants stood down from retaliation, heeding the call to seek dialogue under the guidance of religious elders. In village meetings facilitated by these faith leaders, former rivals shared water schedules and grazing zones, restoring a measure of cooperation.  By invoking scripture and spiritual principles, the mediators reframed the conflict as a shared moral challenge to care for one another during hardship. This human-centered approach, grounded in faith, helped de-escalate hostilities and foster empathy between the groups over a resource conflict multiplied by climate change. It resonates with broader findings in the JLI and Act Alliance report on ‘Faith and Climate Migration’ in which religion and faith actors may play a peacebuilding and sense-making role in response to climate-induced conflict (Tarusarira 2022; Welty 2014). Community members in Mandera later noted that seeing their imams and pastors stand and pray together for rain and peace was a powerful symbol of unity for survival.

Not only in Kenya, but across East Africa, similar stories abound. In Ethiopia and Uganda, church ministers and Muslim clerics have jointly mediated land and water disputes, often drawing on religious teachings about stewardship of nature and neighborly love. In one Kenyan case, a conflict between predominantly Muslim Somali herders and Christian farmers in Meru was initially framed as a religious clash, but faith leaders clarified that the true issue was water access and helped both sides negotiate sharing agreements. Local women of faith networks have also been instrumental. By grounding peacebuilding in spiritual tradition, faith actors humanize the adversaries to each other,: not as enemies, but as brothers and sisters under one God charged to coexist and care for creation. This humanized approach has proven effective in restoring relationships and preventing further violence.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Faith actors have demonstrated that they are critical mediators in climate-related conflicts, due to their grassroot presence and commitment to serve. They blend practical conflict resolution with spiritual guidance, addressing both material needs and the heart of the community. To strengthen and scale up this vital role, the recent report on faith and climate migration suggest several key steps:

• Recognise and Support Faith-Based Peacebuilding: Governments and NGOs should officially recognise local faith leaders and institutions as critical partners in responding to climate crises and conflicts. This means involving them in planning, providing funding and resources, and treating them as equals in peacebuilding efforts. 
• Build Capacity and Knowledge: Many faith actors lack access to formal training in mediation, climate adaptation, and documentation of their work. Investments in training programs, exchange of best practices, and inclusion of secular experts can enhance their effectiveness. 
• Support Collaboration and Coordination: Engaging faith actors means also leveraging their extensive community networks. Authorities should facilitate interfaith peace platforms and forums where religious leaders jointly address climate-induced tensions. 
• Amplify Moral Messaging for Climate Action: Finally, faith actors should be empowered as communicators of climate justice and peace. Their sermons, teachings, and radio dialogues can reshape community attitudes towards reconciliation and sustainable resource use.

By embracing these recommendations, policymakers and development partners can unlock one of the most trusted, underutilized assets in the response to climate-induced conflict: faith actors. These leaders are not only first responders and moral compasses in their communities, but they are also bridge-builders in times of crisis, able to turn fear into dialogue, and tension into trust. As climate pressures intensify and old grievances reignite, it is no longer optional to involve faith leaders, it is essential.