| dc.description.abstract | The study was to examine the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of the Samburu Pastoralists of Northern Kenya. The study further sought to identify and describe, the challenges facing the Samburu peoples' livelihoods initiatives in the face of climate change and finally to identify and explain how the Samburu cope and adapt to climate change. Data for the study was obtained from primary sources. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews with a sample of 180 household heads obtained through Random and purposive sampling. Focus Group discussions selected along the gender and age lines were also used. Key Informant Interviews were conducted with chiefs, traditional birth attendants, herbalists, community livestock attendants and circumcisers. Finally, life histories were constructed with two resourceful and elderly people.
The study findings confirmed that climate change is indeed a reality in the Samburu community. The respondents indicated that there has been gradual change in weather patterns over the past thirty years. The droughts were more frequent, prolonged and severe. The rainfall patterns too had changed dramatically. The findings indicated that the rainfall seasons were shorter, intense and erratic leading to floods that formed gullies due to sheet erosion. Temperatures had also changed with time. The community members further indicated that these changes had brought about some challenges that affected their livelihoods.
The livestock lacked pasture and fodder during the dry periods and hence weakened and died, animal disease also caused death of livestock during the floods leading to socio - economic difficulties. The impacts of climate change were also contributing to high levels of insecurity in the community due to conflicts over resources such as water and pasture, as well as cattle raid after drought. The climate change induced droughts had dried up the natural sources of water leaving the community with acute water shortage. Women and girls were affected most because they had to trek long distances for water hence girls could not go to school and mothers could not engage in any useful activities.
The Samburu as a people are trying to cope with the impacts of climate change by using indigenous knowledge to adapt. The strategies they have put in place are; rearing of camels, embracing agropastoralism and small scale business ventures like poultry, brick making, beading and charcoal burning. The Samburu are also getting more sedentarised and they are trying to embrace education as the way forward for the young generation. To mitigate the impacts of climate change in the Samburu community one will need to give it a multi sectoral approach by incorporating relevant sectors and policy frameworks to achieve resiliency in their livelihoods. | en_US |
