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Our TeamMay 13, 2025

Philip Aemun

Biography

Philip Ebei Aemun is a seasoned development and humanitarian leader with more than two decades of experience working in pastoralism, climate change adaptation, governance, food security, and resilience building in northern Kenya and the greater Horn of Africa.

His work has spanned local government leadership, international humanitarian agencies, and cross-border programming. He has held senior positions with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Oxfam International, and county government, among others, playing a critical role in shaping pastoralist adaptation strategies, social protection systems, and integrated resilience programming.

Philip is recognized nationally for his contributions to climate and food systems programming and was awarded Best Performing County Executive Committee Member during the National County Gala Awards 2021–2022 for his leadership in agriculture and pastoral economy.

Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Ongoing) — Climate Change and Adaptation, University of Nairobi (Kenya)

Master of Science (MSc) — Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Agriculture, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway)

Bachelor of Science (BSc) — Meteorology, University of Nairobi (Kenya)

Certified Monitoring and Evaluation Professional (CMEPro), Policy & Governance, Emergency Management, Social Norms and Decentralized Governance training (multiple certifications, UN & national institutions).

Career
Philip’s career reflects leadership across humanitarian, development, and governance spaces, with a strong focus on pastoralist livelihoods, social protection, and community resilience. He has designed and led major emergency and development programs, coordinated cross-border initiatives in the Karamoja cluster, and supported resource mobilization for flagship social protection mechanisms, including the Hunger Safety Net Programme.

While serving as County Minister, he spearheaded transformative agricultural programs, climate-smart agriculture initiatives, fisheries value chain strengthening, and livestock sector reforms. At UNICEF, he led programming in northern Kenya and Kakuma refugee complex, contributing to child-sensitive governance frameworks and integrated development planning. His leadership style emphasizes partnership-building, evidence-based planning, and scaling innovations that center on the needs of marginalized communities.

Research Interests
Philip Ebei Aemun’s research and professional interests span a wide range of interconnected themes central to resilience and development in arid and semi-arid lands. His work focuses on climate change adaptation and resilience, with particular attention to how pastoralist mobility systems shape livelihoods and ecological sustainability. He is deeply engaged in advancing food security and drought management strategies, as well as strengthening social protection systems that bridge the humanitarian–development nexus.

Philip’s scholarship also explores governance and policy processes at both subnational and cross-border levels, recognizing the importance of institutional frameworks in shaping adaptive capacity. He has contributed to multiple publications on drought early warning systems, resilience planning, and conflict and adaptation dynamics in arid regions, helping to inform both policy and practice.