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Local Perceptions and Responses to Climate Change and Variability: The Case of Laikipia District, Kenya

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  • Sarah Ayeri Ogalleh

    (Centre for Development Research, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria
    Department for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, Institute of Organic Farming, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180,Vienna, Austria)

  • Christian R. Vogl

    (Department for Sustainable Agriculture Systems, Institute of Organic Farming, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180,Vienna, Austria)

  • Josef Eitzinger

    (Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria)

  • Michael Hauser

    (Centre for Development Research, University for Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria)

Abstract

Agricultural policies in Kenya aim to improve farmers’ livelihoods. With projected climate change, these policies are short of mechanisms that promote farmers’ adaptation. As a result, smallholders are confronted with a variety of challenges including climate change, which hinders their agricultural production. Local knowledge can be instrumental in assisting smallholders to cope with climate change and variability. In this paper, we present empirical evidence that demonstrates local knowledge, perceptions and adaptations to climate change and variability amongst smallholders of Laikipia district of Kenya. A Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) calculated for one station is compared with smallholders’ perceptions. Data was collected using qualitative and quantitative methods in Umande and Muhonia sub-locations. Qualitative data included 46 transcripts from focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative data is derived from 206 interviewees. We analyzed qualitative and quantitative data using Atlas-ti and SPSS respectively. According to smallholders’ perceptions, climatic variability is increasingly changing. Local perceptions include decreasing rainfalls, increasing temperatures, increasing frosts and increasing hunger. The PDSI shows a trend towards severe droughts in the last four decades, which is in accordance with farmers’ perceptions. Smallholders use a combination of coping and adaptation strategies to respond to variability, including, among others, diversification of crop varieties, migration and sale of livestock. Significant relationships exist between drought perceptions and some adaptations such as migration and sale of livestock. Farmers have an in-depth knowledge of climatic variability, which they use to inform their coping and adaptation strategies. Knowledge of climatic perceptions and adaptations are vital entry points for decision makers and policy makers to learn how and where to enhance the adaptive capacity of smallholders in rainy and drought periods.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Ayeri Ogalleh & Christian R. Vogl & Josef Eitzinger & Michael Hauser, 2012. "Local Perceptions and Responses to Climate Change and Variability: The Case of Laikipia District, Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(12), pages 1-24, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:4:y:2012:i:12:p:3302-3325:d:21944
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Quiggin & David Adamson & Sarah Chambers & Peggy Schrobback, 2010. "Climate Change, Uncertainty, and Adaptation: The Case of Irrigated Agriculture in the Murray–Darling Basin in Australia," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 58(4), pages 531-554, December.
    2. John Quiggin & David Adamson & Sarah Chambers & Peggy Schrobback, 2010. "Climate Change, Uncertainty, and Adaptation: The Case of Irrigated Agriculture in the Murray–Darling Basin in Australia," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 58(4), pages 531-554, December.
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    3. Sandra Ricart & Jorge Olcina & Antonio M. Rico, 2018. "Evaluating Public Attitudes and Farmers’ Beliefs towards Climate Change Adaptation: Awareness, Perception, and Populism at European Level," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    4. Jeanne Y. Coulibaly & Glwadys A. Gbetibouo & Godfrey Kundhlande & Gudeta W. Sileshi & Tracy L. Beedy, 2015. "Responding to Crop Failure: Understanding Farmers’ Coping Strategies in Southern Malawi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Archana Raghavan Sathyan & Christoph Funk & Thomas Aenis & Lutz Breuer, 2018. "Climate Vulnerability in Rainfed Farming: Analysis from Indian Watersheds," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-27, September.
    6. McCord, Paul & Waldman, Kurt & Baldwin, Elizabeth & Dell'Angelo, Jampel & Evans, Tom, 2018. "Assessing multi-level drivers of adaptation to climate variability and water insecurity in smallholder irrigation systems," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 296-308.
    7. Robert Šakić Trogrlić & Grant B. Wright & Melanie J. Duncan & Marc J. C. van den Homberg & Adebayo J. Adeloye & Faidess D. Mwale & Joyce Mwafulirwa, 2019. "Characterising Local Knowledge across the Flood Risk Management Cycle: A Case Study of Southern Malawi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, March.
    8. Alison C. Cullen & C. Leigh Anderson, 2017. "Perception of Climate Risk among Rural Farmers in Vietnam: Consistency within Households and with the Empirical Record," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(3), pages 531-545, March.
    9. Immaculate Maumoh & Emmanuel H. Yindi, 2021. "Understanding the Farmers, Environmental Citizenship Behaviors Towards Climate Change. The Moderating Mediating Role of Environmental Knowledge and Ascribed Responsibility," Papers 2102.12378, arXiv.org.
    10. Paulina Aldunce & Dámare Araya & Rodolfo Sapiain & Issa Ramos & Gloria Lillo & Anahí Urquiza & René Garreaud, 2017. "Local Perception of Drought Impacts in a Changing Climate: The Mega-Drought in Central Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-15, November.
    11. Nanda Kaji Budhathoki, 2017. "Climate Change: Perceptions, Reality and Agricultural Practice: Evidence from Nepal," Working Papers id:11903, eSocialSciences.
    12. Moranga, Lawrence Ongwae & Otieno, David Jakinda & Oluoch-Kosura, Willis, 2016. "Analysis Of Factors Influencing Tomato Farmers’ Willingness To Adopt Innovative Timing Approaches For Management Of Climate Change Effects In Taita Taveta County, Kenya," Dissertations and Theses 269270, University of Nairobi, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    13. Dian Spear & Angela Chappel, 2018. "Livelihoods on the Edge without a Safety Net: The Case of Smallholder Crop Farming in North-Central Namibia," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-11, June.
    14. Nicole Klenk & Anna Fiume & Katie Meehan & Cerian Gibbes, 2017. "Local knowledge in climate adaptation research: moving knowledge frameworks from extraction to co‐production," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.

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