Understanding the Indicators of Adaptive Capacity Measurements among the Asals Smallholder Livestock Farmers in Kenya

Abstract

With the IPCC prediction of continued climate change trends which is expected to intensify in the future, there is need to build resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change among the most vulnerable groups through adaptation. Farmers with high adaptive capacity would be better equipped to face the challenges and threats posed by climate change. Therefore, understanding adaptive capacity of farmers is an important consideration for effective policy interventions especially among the smallholder farmers in SSA. Using the sustainable livelihood framework, this study used five capital assets (natural, physical, human, social and financial) to assess the adaptive capacity smallholder livestock farmers in three different study sites. Majority (47%) of the households in Kajiado county were categorized as having moderate AC, while more than half (52%) of the sampled households in Taita Taveta were having high AC. However, bigger proportion (57%) of the household in Laikipia county had low AC. The differences in social, physical, and financial capital are mainly responsible for the differential adaptive capacity among the farming households in the three study sites. However, there were considerable differences among the villages in terms of asset distribution. Therefore, purpose-driven policy initiatives especially in training of CSA practices to enhance sustainable adaptive capacity through efficient adaptation are of paramount importance in this region.

Keywords: Adaptive Capacity, Climate change, Capital assets

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/14-17-02

Publication date: November 30^th 2023