About Drylands Resilience Action
"Engineering Resilient Dryland Futures"
Our Mission
To build resilient dryland communities in Kenya's ASALs through integrated humanitarian-development-peace interventions that address root causes of vulnerability and transform crisis zones into sustainable economic landscapes.
Our Vision
A northern Kenya where pastoralist communities thrive in secure, climate-resilient landscapes with dignified livelihoods, peaceful coexistence, and collective control over their ancestral lands and resources.
Who We Are
Drylands Resilience Action (DRA) is a Kenyan Public Benefit Organization (PBO) specialized in the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).
Headquartered in Isiolo with operations across Samburu, Marsabit, and adjacent counties, DRA delivers scalable, data-driven resilience programming for pastoralist communities facing the triple threat of climate shocks, resource conflicts, and chronic underdevelopment.
Fully transitioned under the PBO Act (2025), DRA is positioned to lead multi-million-euro consortia aligned with Kenya's Ending Drought Emergencies (EDE) framework, Vision 2030, devolved climate finance mechanisms, and global Sustainable Development Goals.
We are more than a development organization—we are a movement rooted in the drylands, driven by the communities we serve, and committed to transforming the narrative from crisis to opportunity.
Our Approach: The Triple Nexus
DRA designs interventions to address multiple crises simultaneously, tackling root causes rather than symptoms.
Humanitarian
Real-time anticipatory action to reduce vulnerability before crises escalate through groundwater monitoring, fodder banking, and emergency water access.
Development
Climate-smart livelihoods through water-energy-food systems, secure community land tenure, and sustainable market linkages that build long-term resilience.
Peace
Resource diplomacy through inter-community dialogues and strengthened Community Land Act governance to reduce resource-based violence.
Our History & Legacy
Foundation Years
DRA was born from grassroots movements defending pastoralist lands and resources in northern Kenya. Our founders understood that resilience requires more than emergency relief—it demands systemic change.
2016: Community Land Act
DRA pioneered Community Land Management Committees (CLMCs) that directly informed the implementation of Kenya's groundbreaking Community Land Act, securing collective tenure rights for pastoralist communities.
Legal Victories
Our legal advocacy has set High Court precedents for collective tenure, defending indigenous lands and securing communal rights for thousands of pastoralist families across northern Kenya.
2025: PBO Transition
Full compliance under the Public Benefit Organizations Act positions DRA as a trusted, accountable partner for large-scale climate and resilience funding.
Our Core Values
Community-Led
Local communities are not beneficiaries—they are leaders, decision-makers, and change agents.
Transparency
Radical accountability through audited finances, open governance, and community oversight.
Integration
Breaking silos to deliver water, peace, and livelihood outcomes through single interventions.
Evidence-Based
Data-driven programming with real-time monitoring and adaptive management.
Leadership & Governance
Executive Director
Adan A. Jillo
Leading DRA's strategic vision and operational excellence across Kenya's ASALs. With deep roots in pastoralist communities and extensive experience in the HDP Nexus, Adan brings both grassroots understanding and institutional leadership to advance dryland resilience.
Board of Directors
DRA is governed by an independent Board of Directors comprising experts in:
- Community land rights and tenure security
- Climate adaptation and ASAL development
- Conflict resolution and peacebuilding
- Financial management and governance
- Gender equality and social inclusion
The Board ensures strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, and alignment with our mission and values.
Memberships & Networks
DRA is an active member of leading networks advancing sustainable development and community rights.
SDGs Kenya Forum
Advancing Sustainable Development Goals across Kenya
FEMNET
African Women's Development and Communication Network
Kenya Land Alliance
Advocating for equitable land rights and tenure security
Charter for Change
Promoting localization in humanitarian action
Join Us in Building Resilient Futures
Partner with DRA to transform Kenya's drylands from crisis zones into thriving, resilient communities.
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