| dc.description.abstract | Exposure to climate variability and extremes, most particularly drought, poses a substantial
risk to people living in ASALs. A number of interventions on sustainable land use, livelihood
and environmental management have been promoted in Makueni County to enable
households build resilience to stresses of drought and other climatic variations. With the
increasing trend in drought occurrences, there is need for evidence on the characteristics of
agriculture-dependent communities that have proven resilient to past climate variability
which is lacking at the household and community levels.
This study identified characteristics of climate variability resilient farmers, land use
approaches and practices that significantly contribute to increased livelihood resilience and
examined factors influencing the capacity to develop and maintain resilient livelihoods. It
also identified policy options for enhancing resilient livelihoods.
The study adopted a survey design. Literature review, face to face interviews, observation
and photography were used to collect data. The target population consisted of all farming
households in Kathonzweni and Mavindini Divisions and service providers from all relevant
institutions. Using multiple sampling strategies that included census of CA farmers,
systematic random sampling for TT farmers and simple random sampling for NT farmers. A
total of 138 households consisting of 46 conservation agriculture farmers (CA), 46 trained but
not practicing farmers (TT) and 46 not trained and not practicing farmers (NT) were sampled.
Two focus group discussions were undertaken per category of farmers making a total of six.
Local leaders and extension service providers were purposively identified and interviewed as
key informants on farmer resilience. Households with resilient livelihoods were identified as
those with food access, financial security, entitlements in term of assets and sufficient human
capital.
Farmers in Makueni grow their own food which is supplemented through diversified income
sources, not only in crops, but also in other livelihood sources such as remittances. T-tests for
comparison of means indicated that CA farmers had significantly higher access to food than
TT and NT farmers. They also had higher financial security, remittances and better human
resource capital that contribute immensely to food production. Overall, CA was identified as
a technique that has very high potential to improve yields, income, environmental
conservation and in the long term lead to increased household livelihood resilience. Drought
was ranked as the main factor limiting farmers’ ability to develop and sustain resilient
livelihoods.
The study recommends increased promotion of CA, diversified income sources through land
use planning that allocates various enterprises optimally. Techniques such as sub-soiling,
ripping, terracing and growing of drought tolerant crops that have proven to assist farmers to
raise their agricultural output should be promoted through increased acreage under these
techniques. The study also recommends construction of a dam at Thwake River to facilitate
rain water harvesting for irrigation during drought.
Key word: Resilient, Vulnerability, Land use, Sustainable livelihood, Poverty, Drought,
Conservation Agriculture | en_US |
