Climate change and variability: Farmers’ perception, experience and adaptation strategies in Makueni District
Date
2012Author
Kitinya, Kirina
Onwonga, Richard
Onyango, Cecilia
Mbuvi, J
Kironchi, G
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
A better understanding of climate change and variability
(CCV) from the farmer’s perspective is
a
key to prioritizing
measures to address and prepare f
or its consequences. A survey
involving 150
farmers
was thus conducted in Makueni County,
Kenya to document farmers’; perception, experience and
adaptation strategies to CCV. About 86% of farmers perceived
CCV as a major challenge with 53% indicating that
significant
changes in climate would manifest in 10-
20 years. Significant
changes in rainfall amounts and distribution had occurred over
the years and were rated by 60% of farmers as the frequently
experienced aspect of CCV. About 33% of farmers had heard
of but not used decision support tools (DST) to inform their
agricultural activities. Workshops and seminars were reported
by 67% of farmers as principal sources of information on
CCV. Additionally, 50% of farmers relied on traditional
knowledge for weathe
r prediction. Only 20% of farmers had
alternative strategies; agroforestry and growing drought
tolerant crops particularly sorghum and cowpea, to minimize
effects of CCV. Another 67% of farmers prioritized; terracing,
ridging and water harvesting as adapta
tion strategies to
minimize negative effects of CCV. The farmers were thus
aware of CCV and through experience, backed with traditional
technical knowledge, had gained prerequisite skills for
addressing its negative effects. Nevertheless farmers’
agricultu
ral practices could be improved by use of forecasted
weather data and application of DST. Consequently enhancing
farmers’ preparedness to tackle challenges posed by CCV
Citation
Kirina T. Kitinya Richard N. Onwonga Cecilia Onyango Joseph P. Mbuvi and Geoffrey Kironchi (2012) ― Climate Change and Variability: Farmers’ Perception, Experience and Adaptation Strategies in Makueni County, Kenya ‖, Asian Journal of Agriculture and R ural Development, Vol. 2 , No. 3 , pp. 411 - 42Publisher
University of Nairobi, Department of land resource management and agricultural technology