An Analysis Of How Small Scale Arable Farmers Are Adapting To The Impacts Of Climate Variability: A Case Study Of Chisare Village In Cherangani, Transnzoia East Sub-County

ABSTRACT

The recent irregular trends in weather patterns have brought about challenges and opportunities in key sectors of the economy especially in developing countries. Agriculture and tourism are just but examples of these sectors that have been widely impacted by climate variability. Countries as Kenya where agriculture and tourism are the leading earners of the economy has seen a downhill scale in the recent years and climate variability is one of the factors that can held responsible. This challenge is not only posing a threat to the economy of a nation but on food security as well. The study was carried out in a small village in Cherangani Constituency-Trans-NzoiaEast Sub County called Chisare. It aimed at assessing the impacts of climate variability to small scale arable farmers in Trans-Nzoia; evaluating the adaptation strategies to climate variability by small scale arable farmers in Trans-Nzoia; assessing the existing farming methods among small scale arable farmers in Trans-Nzoiaand developing a climate variability adaptation action plan. Both secondary and primary sources of data were used in collecting data. A sample of 25 small scale arable farmers and 4 institutional interviews were used in data collection. Additional primary data was collected through observation and photography. Data analysis was conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively to derive various attributes according to the research objectives. Result from the data analysis show that although efforts are being made by small scale arable farmers who largely depend on weather patterns for growth of their crops, the agriculture sector is generally facing challenges from the recent drastic change in weather patterns threatening food security in the country because Trans-Nzoia if one of the food basket counties in Kenya and therefore it needs urgent actions to avert the situation. The study proposes a climate variability adaptation action plan which can be used to promote the capacities of farmers to adapt to this current situations.