| dc.description.abstract | The integration of indigenous knowledge and science through and ecosystem based adaptation
provides a basis for the formulation of culturally acceptable and sustainable adaptation practices.
This study aims to determine sustainable climate change adaptation strategies for the Taita Hills
in Kenya and assess their potential for integration with ecosystem based adaptation. It uses a
mixed methodology that involves literature review, participatory methods and household
surveys. As a result it emerges that adaptation to climate variability and change in the Taita
Hills, takes on both an anticipatory and reactive approach. The household survey indicates that
68% of the farmers have taken up climate change adaptation strategies. The study shows that the
unpredictability of the long and short rainy seasons, the poor rainfall distribution within the
seasons and inadequate rainfall during the growing season constitute their perception of climate
change. However, with regards to farm water management as an adaptation strategy only 51%
of the households have initiated farm water management measures. Furthermore, socioeconomic
parameters such as farm sizes and dependency ratio render the households vulnerable
to climate change. Finally, the Taita people possess sufficient indigenous knowledge for climate
change adaptation that can be utilized together with EBA approaches for an integrated approach
to climate change adaptation. The smallholder farmers’ in the Taita Hills possess sufficient
knowledge on climate change adaptation. The study recommends the diversification of
livelihoods by the smallholder farmers’ in the Taita Hills, the inclusion of the smallholder
farmers in decision making regarding climate change adaptation practices, implementation of
policies that have been validated through research and improvement of agricultural extension
services to the smallholder farmers. | en_US |
