Impact of Climate Change on Sustainable Pastoral Livelihoods in Loima Sub-County, Turkana County, Kenya

C.A. Imana; M. Zenda

doi:10.17159/2413-3221/2023/v51n1a11367

Authors

C.A. Imana University of the Free State
M. Zenda University of the Free State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2023/v51n1a11367

Keywords:

Sustainability, Pastoralists, Livelihoods, Climate Change, Turkana

Abstract

Climate change and variability have adversely affected communities’ pastoral livelihoods in Kenya. The study aimed to investigate sustaining pastoral livelihoods in a changing climate in Loima Sub-County, Turkana County, Kenya. A total of 59 pastoralists were interviewed using a questionnaire. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software Version 22. SPSS employed descriptive statistical techniques like frequencies, percentages, cross-tabulations and proportions, means, and standard deviation. Pie charts, graphs, figures, and tables were used to present the data analysis output. Climate has been observed to vary continuously by pastoralists. Climate hazards mostly reported were livestock diseases and the frequency of droughts. The findings also indicated that livestock keepers preferred to graze their livestock on mountains/hills. Pasture and water availability and security determine the pattern of livestock movement. Pastoralists adopted various strategies to cope with climatic changes. Some of these strategies included diverse utilisation of livestock products, controlled grazing, herd diversification, and labour distribution among household members. In conclusion, climatic change and variability effects on the livelihoods of the pastoralists are evident. However, they have diversified ways of adapting and coping with these catastrophes to sustain themselves. To avert the effects of climate change, Turkana agriculture extension officers should focus on value addition to livestock products, provision of livestock insurance schemes, veterinary services, and livestock disease surveillance. Furthermore, agriculture extension needs to develop and enforce livestock policies and develop appropriate contingency plans. Among the policies recommended are- the management of grazing areas, regulations on migratory routes, and rules governing the use of water sources.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

ADEBISI-ADELANI, O. & AKEREDOLU, M., 2020. Influence of farmers’ knowledge of climate change on production of citrus and tomato in Nigeria. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 48(2): 83-91.

AFFUL, D.B., 2016. Public extension agents’ need for new competencies: Evidence from a climate variability study in Limpopo Province, South Africa. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 44(2): 59-70.

ALEX, S., 2018. The impact of climate change on rural agro-pastoralist communities in Aweil East County, South Sudan. Doctoral Thesis, Nkumba University.

COCIMANO, M., ALEJANDRA, A., NANNI, S., & IZQUIERDO, A.E., 2021. Co-building knowledge on human-puma conflict: A case study in a village of the Argentine Puna ecoregion. Hum. Dimens. Wildl., 27(4): 1-20.

CRANE, T.A., & MEUNIER, J., 2018. Pastoral adaptation and policy environment: How discourses shape knowledge, policy and adaptation. CCAFS Working Paper, No. 225. Wageningen, the Netherlands: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

CUNI-SANCHEZ, A.O.P., PFEIFER, M., OLAKA, L., MAMO, M.B., MARCHANT, R., & BURGESS, N.D., 2019. Climate change and pastoralists: Perceptions and adaptation in Montane Kenya. Clim Dev., 11(6): 513-524.

DJIDO, A., ZOUGMORÉ, R.B., HOUESSIONON, P., OUÉDRAOGO, M., OUÉDRAOGO, I. & DIOUF, N.S., 2021. To what extent do weather and climate information services drive the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices in Ghana?. Clim. Risk Manag., 32: 1-14

DYER, C. & RAJAN, V., 2021. Left behind? Internally migrating children and the ontological crisis of formal education systems in South Asia. J. Int. Comp. Educ., 1-18.

FAO., 2018. Pastoralism in Africa’s drylands. Rome: FAO.

IMANA, C.A., 2016. Improving pastoralists’ livelihood strategies through good governance: The case of Turkana County, North-West Kenya. Doctoral dissertation, University of the Free State.

JAETZOLD, R. & SCHMIDT, H., 1983. Farm management handbook of Kenya. Volume II. Parts A, B and C. Nairobi: Ministry of Agriculture in Cooperation with German Agency for Technical Cooperation.

KENYA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (KNBS)., 2019. 2019 Kenya population and housing census Volume I: Population by County and Sub-County.

LENAIYASA, M. L., BRUYERE, B. L., SALERNO, J. & PICKERING, T., 2020. Pastoralists’ use of income diversification as a strategy for adapting to social-ecological change in Samburu, Kenya. Reg. Environ. Change., 20(1): 1-11.

MAKA, L., IGHODORO, I.D. & NGCOBO-NGOTHO, G.P.T., 2019. Capacity development for scaling up climate-smart agriculture (CSA) innovations: Agriculture extension’s role in mitigating climate change effects in Gqumashe community, Eastern Cape, South Africa. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 47(1): 45-53.

MUSHY, R.B. & MBONILE, M.J., 2018. Adaptation strategies to climate change among smallholder farmers in Moshi Rural District. Tanzania. JGAT., 38(1): 1-15.

MUZAH, O., 2018. A synthesis of rural livelihood approaches in analysing household poverty, food security and resilience: A case study of Rushinga rural district in Zimbabwe. Doctoral dissertation, University of KwaZulu Natal.

NG’ANG’A, S.K., BULTE, E.H., GILLER, K.E., NDIWA, N.N., KIFUGO, S.C. & MCINTIRE, J.M., 2016. Livestock wealth and social capital as insurance against climate risk: A case study of Samburu County in Kenya. Agric. Syst., 146: 44-54.

NG’ASIKE, P.O.A., STEPPUTAT, F. & NJOKA, J.T., 2020. Livestock trade and devolution in the Somali-Kenya transboundary corridor. Pastoralism., 10(1): 1-14.

NGUGI, S.K., 2020. An Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Adoption Of Alternative Livelihood Strategies On Socio-Economic Wellbeing Of Pastoral Communities In Kajiado County, Kenya.Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi.

NKUBA, M., CHANDA, R., MMOPELWA, G., KATO, E., MANGHENI, M.N. & LESOLLE, D., 2019. The effect of climate information in pastoralists’ adaptation to climate change. Int. J. Clim. Change., 11(4): 442-464.

OLIMBA, L.A., 2018. A dietary analysis of pastoral and agro zones in Turkana County. Doctoral dissertation, Ghent University.

OLUFEMI, B.A., WILLIAMS, O., GILBERT, O. & JOSHUA, O., 2019. Assessing vulnerability of Maasai pastoralist in Kenya to climate change and variability. IJAES., 3(6): 97-10.

OPIYO, F., WASONGA, O.V., NYANGITO, M.M., MUREITHI, S.M., OBANDO, J. & MUNANG, R., 2016. Determinants of perceptions of climate change and adaptation among Turkana pastoralists in northwestern Kenya. Clim Dev., 8(2):179-189.

POPOOLA, O.O., MONDE, N. & YUSUF, S.F.G., 2019. Perception and adaptation responses to climate change: An assessment of smallholder livestock farmers in Amathole district Municipality, Eastern Cape Province. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 47(2): 46-57.

RUTOH, L.C., OTIENO, D.J., OLUOCH-KOSURA, W., MUREITHI, S. & GERT, N., 2019. The role of land-related conflicts in shaping pastoralists’ livelihoods: Evidence from West Pokot and Laikipia Counties, Kenya.

SCHILLING, J., LOCHOCHAM, R. & SCHEFFRAN, J., 2018. A local to global perspective on oil and wind exploitation, resource governance and conflict in Northern Kenya. Confl. Secur. Dev., 18(6):571-600.

SCOONES, I., 2021. Pastoralists and peasants: perspectives on agrarian change. J. Peasant. Stud., 48(1): 1-47.

SETSHEDI, K.L. & MODIRWA, S., 2020. Socio-economic characteristics influencing small-scale farmers’ level of knowledge on climate-smart agriculture in Mahikeng local Municipality, North West Province, South Africa. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 48(2):139-152.

THE FOOD ECONOMY GROUP., 2016. Livelihood profiles baseline update six livelihood Zones in Turkana county, Kenya. Available from https://kenya.savethechildren.net/sites/kenya.savethechildren.net/files/library/Turkana HEA Baselines Report, December2016.pdf

WATSON, E.E., KOCHORE, H. & DABASSO, B.H., 2016. Camels and climate resilience: Adaptation in northern Kenya. Hum. Ecol.y, 44(6): 701-713.

YODA, L., ANTHONY, K. & KIHARA, P., 2020. Strategies of households’ resilience in adapting to challenges in Turkana County. J. Theor. Appli. Stat., 9(5): 228-237.

ZENDA, M. & MALAN, P.J., 2021. The sustainability of small-scale sheep farming systems in the Northern Cape (Hantam Karoo), South Africa. S. Afr. Jnl. Agric. Ext., 49(1): 105-121.