When the dry season begins, cattle herders like Lobunei get ready to lead their herds to dams or other faraway water sources, negotiating access with communities they encounter along the way. This traditional practice, which is crucial for the survival of the local people known as the Karamojong, has become more challenging due to factors such as shrinking access to common land, increased insecurity, and a greater government presence. Some herders and activists argue that the government's interference is jeopardizing cattle-keeping and pushing them towards relying on crop farming, which is susceptible to extreme weather conditions. Lobunei, in Nakapiripirit district, faces obstacles such as large farms restricting his cows' movement and having to navigate around a wildlife reserve that was previously accessible to herders. He also has to request written permission from an increasing number of government officials who oversee movement across the grasslands where his ancestors once let their cattle roam freely. He questioned whether they are the Karamojong, or if it is the government that truly embodies the Karamojong spirit. According to a 2017 report by the Ugandan government and its partners, Karamoja has experienced longer dry periods and more intense rainfall since 1981. The report also cautioned that a warming planet will lead to even more erratic, unpredictable, and intense rainfall in the region. Local residents have noticed that the seasons have changed, causing the names of the months to no longer match the natural occurrences they were originally named after. For example, the month of "lomaruk" used to be associated with white mushrooms appearing in March, but now they appear later. In the past, herders in the region would adapt by moving their animals and negotiating access to water and pasture through a process called etamam, or "sending a message". Emmanuel Tebanyang, a policy analyst at the Karamoja Development Forum (KDF), explained that elders would hold meetings to decide whether to migrate that season, followed by sending scouts to find suitable grazing areas. If a host community welcomed them, a bull would be sacrificed as a gesture of peace. Tebanyang stated that etamam is currently experiencing a "rapid transformation," with discussions now being mainly conducted through local government officials who must give written permission for migration to take place. The state has been trying to control and document movement in Karamoja since colonial times, but pastoralists claim that its presence has become more ingrained in recent years. Alex Lemu Longoria, a Karamojong elder and former mayor of Moroto town, described this as a new culture where the government is involved in everything. The number of districts in Karamoja has increased to nine from four in 2005, leading to herders needing approval from a wider range of officials before crossing boundaries. Longoria mentioned that they no longer go there due to the problem. Authorities are questioning why they are relocating. Armed cattle-raiding has increased since 2019 due to guns coming in from Kenya and South Sudan, causing fear among herders and stricter measures from the authorities. Karamoja police spokesperson Michael Longole explained that herders have freedom of movement, but traders transporting cattle are facing more restrictions due to the rise in cattle raids. Personnel have been informing traders about the tightened measures. One way to connect grassroots discussions with formal processes is by establishing "peace" and "resource-sharing" committees comprised of community representatives, according to Denis Pius Lokiru, a programme manager at international aid agency Mercy Corps. Since 2019, the organisation has facilitated the signing of four agreements in Karamoja, which were endorsed by government officials and integrated into local regulations. Lokiru explained that these agreements outline how water and other natural resources can be shared peacefully to prevent conflict. Additionally, the newly formed committees now include more youth and women, as mentioned by Cecilia Dodoi, vice-chair of the Kotido Women's Peace Forum. Dodoi noted that there has been a significant shift in attitudes, with women feeling heard and valued in the decision-making process. She also highlighted that many of the women involved are widows who have experienced firsthand the devastating effects of conflict. Tebanyang of the KDF questions if written agreements target herders or bureaucrats, stating that herders do not need such documents as they rely on thumbprints as sufficient evidence of agreements made. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has been promoting sedentary farming in Karamoja, emphasizing the importance of modern commercial agriculture for increased productivity. Even though many of Karamoja's 1.2 million residents have traditionally practiced agropastoralism, which involves a combination of cattle-keeping and small-scale crop farming, recent research indicates that they have been increasingly relying on agriculture. Satellite data analyzed by researchers at the University of Maryland revealed a significant four-fold expansion in cultivated land from 2000 to 2011. Additionally, a 2018 study conducted by the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit discovered that almost 60% of households no longer have enough livestock to sustain a sufficient food supply. However, local observers caution against placing too much emphasis on crops in light of the growing impacts of climate change. Simon Peter Lomoe, the executive director of the Dynamic Agro-Pastoralist Development Organisation in Uganda, emphasized that no one is looking to entirely abandon livestock. If there is a lack of rain in this area, you have the option to relocate animals to search for water. However, you are unable to relocate crops.