Determinants of Adoption of Indigenous Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation among the Tharaka People in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya
Abstract
This study envisaged establishing the factors affecting adoption of indigenous climate change adaptation strategies in Kenya. The study would help in proper targeting of adaptation measures among Kenyas’ indigenous communities and avoid past trends where adopted measures have often failed. The study uses descriptive research design based on a three-stage multi-stage sampling design with data being collected from primary and secondary sources. Data analysis was done using the Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and various qualitative methods. The study found out that indigenous people have experienced a serious reduction in rainfall and changes in rainfall patterns. There has been an increase in temperature and the length of dry periods. Wind strengths and speeds have also increased. These have had various negative impacts on their livelihoods. The study established that perception of climate change has a significant positive relationship with adoption of indigenous adaptation strategies. Socioeconomic factors of age, local experience, income level, income diversity and land size were found to have a positive significant association while education and household dependency had a negative significant relationship with adoption. Household size and gender had no significant relationship. Institutional factors such as information access, market access, credit access, participation and membership to social networks were found to have a positive significant relationship with adoption of indigenous climate change adaptation strategies. Individualization of land tenure was also found to negatively affect adoption. Access to extension services had a significant negative relationship with adoption. The study recommends the need to orient climate change adaptation measures on the perceptions and strategies of indigenous people taking cognizance of their underlying factors. Prior assessments before undertaking adaptation actions are thus recommended.
Downloads
References
Apata, T. (2011). Factors influencing the perception and choice of adaptation measures to climate change among farmers in Nigeria: Evidence from farm households in South West Nigeria. Environmental economics, 2(4), 74–83.
Assan, N. (2014). Possible impacts and adaptation to climate change in livestock production in Southern Africa. IOSR Journal of environmental science, toxicology and food technology, 8(2), 104-112
Baethgen, W. E., Meinke, H., & Gimene, A. (2003). Adaptation of agricultural production systems to climate variability and climate change: lessons learned and proposed research approach. In Climate Adaptation. net conference" Insights and Tools for Adaptation: Learning from Climate Variability (Vol. 18, p. 20). Washington D.C.
Below, T., Artner, A., Siebert, R., & Sieber, S. (2010). Micro-level practices to adapt to climate change for African small-scale farmers. Discussion paper 00953. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Bisong, F., & Andrew-Essien, E. (2010). Indigenous knowledge systems for promoting community conservation education in a Nigerian protected area. International journal of biology, 2(2), 149.
CIMMYT. (1993). Cereals production in Sub-Saharan Africa. New York
Conway, G. (2009). The science of climate change in Africa: impacts and adaptation. Grantham Institute for Climate Change Discussion Paper, 1, 24.
Deressa, T. (2009). A study on the perception and adaptation to climate change: the case of farmers in the Nile basin of Ethiopia. Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy for Africa (CEEPA), University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Easterling, W. E. (2007). Food, Fibre and Forest Products. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. In Parry, M. L. et al., Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Esiobu, N. & Onubougu, G. (2014). Trends, perceptions and adaptation options of arable crop farmers to climate change in Imo state Nigeria: Multinomial logit model approach. Scholarly journal of agricultural science, 4(7), 370-385
Gbetibouo, G., (2009). Understanding farmer’s perception and adaptations to climate change variability. Washington DC: IFPRI
Government of Kenya. (2005). Tharaka district strategic plan 2005-2010 for implementation of the national population policy for sustainable development. NCAPD
Government of Kenya. (2008). Tharaka district short rains assessment report: 19th-22nd February 2008
Government of Kenya. (2010). Kenya population and housing census, Vol. 1a: Population by administrative units
Reid, H., Alam, M., Berger, R., Cannon, T., Huq, S., & Milligan, A. (2009). Participatory learning and action: Community-based adaptation to climate change. International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): London, UK, 221.
IPCC. (2007). Climate change 2007 synthesis report: Contributions of working group I, II and III to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Geneva, Switzerland: IPCC
Kabui, I. (2012). Household food insecurity and coping strategies among small scale farmers in Tharaka Central Division. Unpublished Masters’ thesis, Kenyatta University
Kiplagat, J., & Rotich, D. (2008). Mapping and auditing of agricultural indigenous knowledge in Uasin Gishu and Keiyo districts in Rift Valley, Kenya. Moi University
Kirkland, E. (2012). Indigenous knowledge and climate change adaptation in the Peruvian Andes: Political economy of the environment in Latin America. INTL
Kirrane, C., Sharkey, C., & Naess, L. O. (2013). Shaping strategies: factors and actors in climate change adaptation-Lessons from two-year case studies in Africa and Latin America. Trócaire and the Institute of Development Studies.
Maddison, D. (2006). The perception and adaptation to climate change in Africa. CEEPA Discussion paper No. 10. University of Pretoria.
Mati, B. (2006). Overview of water and soil nutrient management under small holder rain fed agriculture in East Africa. IWMI Working paper No. 105. IWMI
Mude, A.; Ouma, R.; Steeg, J. van de; Kaiuki, J.; Opiyo, D.; Tipilda, A. 2007. Kenya adaptation to climate change in the arid lands: anticipating, adapting to and coping with climate risks in Kenya - operational recommendations for KACCAL. ILRI Research Report, no. 18. Nairobi (Kenya): ILRI
Nakashima, D., McLean, K. G., Thulstrup, H. D., Castillo, A. R., & Rubis, J. T. (2012). Weathering uncertainty: traditional knowledge for climate change assessment and adaptation. Paris: UNESCO
Nhamachena, C., & Hassan, R. (2007). Micro level analysis of farmer’s perception to climate change in Southern Africa. IFPRI
Hassan, R. M., & Nhemachena, C. (2008). Determinants of African farmers’ strategies for adapting to climate change: Multinomial choice analysis. African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2(311-2016-5521), 83-104.
Nyong, A., Adesina, F., & Elasha, B. O. (2007). The value of indigenous knowledge in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in the African Sahel. Mitigation and Adaptation strategies for global Change, 12(5), 787-797.
Ofouku, A., & Emueke, E. (2012). Determinants of adaptation to climate change among arable crop farmers in Edo state, Nigeria and its implications for extension service. Journal for advanced biological research, 2(2), 220-227
Onubuogu, G. C., Chidebelu, S. A. N. D., & Eboh, E. C. (2013). Enterprise type, size and allocative efficiency of broiler production in Imo State, Nigeria. International Journal of Applied Resources and Technologies, 2(6), 10-19.
Owino, F et al., (2014). Tharaka Constituency 2013-2014 short rains food security assessment report: 10th-14th February 2014
Prager, K., & Posthmus, H. (2010). Socioeconomic factors influencing farmer’s adoption of soil conservation practices in Europe. In T. Napier (Ed.), Human dimensions of soil and water conservation; A global perspective. Nova science publishers
Nelson, G. C., Rosegrant, M. W., Palazzo, A., Gray, I., Ingersoll, C., Robertson, R., ... & Msangi, S. (2010). Food security, farming, and climate change to 2050: scenarios, results, and policy options (Vol. 172). Washington DC IFPRI .
Salick, J., & Byg, A. (2007). Indigenous peoples and climate change. Tyndall centre
Shizha, E., & Abdi, A. (2014). Indigenous discourses on knowledge and development in Africa. New York: Routledge
Shongwe, P. (2014). Factors influencing the choice of climate change adaptation strategies of households: A case study of Mpolonjeni area development programme in Swaziland. Journal of agricultural studies, 2(2)
Tazeze, A., Haji, J., & Ketema, M. (2012). Climate change adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers: the case of Babilie District, East Harerghe Zone of Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development, 3(14), 1-12.
Gutu, T., Bezabih, E., & Mengistu, K. (2012). Econometric analysis of local level perception, adaptation and coping strategies to climate change induced shocks in North Shewa, Ethiopia. International Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Soil Science, 2(8), 347-363.
Yirga, C. (2007). The dynamics of soil degradation and incentives for optimal management in Central highlands of Ethiopia. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Pretoria
Yohe, G., Malone, E., Brenkert, A., Schlesinger, M., Meij, H., Xing, X., & Lee, D. (2006). A synthetic assessment of the global distribution of vulnerability to climate change from the IPCC perspective that reflects exposure and adaptive capacity. CIESIN (Center for International Earth Science Information Network), Columbia University, Palisades.
Ziervogel, G., & Zermoglio, F. (2009). Climate change scenarios and the development of adaptation strategies in Africa: Challenges and opportunities. Climate research, 40, 133-146
Copyright (c) 2020 Caxton Gitonga Kaua
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
