Evaluation Of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies And Their Effect On Food Production Among Smallholder Farmers In Bungoma County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Climate change exacerbates the already daunting challenge facing the agricultural sector, and this is particularly the case in developing countries. There are roughly 800 million food insecure people in the world today, each having this status because food is unavailable, unaffordable or they are too unhealthy to make use of it or some combination of the three. Innovations in agriculture will even be more vital in the context of climate change as they allow farmers to adapt efficiently to the changing climate. Assessing the potential effect of climate change on food production requires understanding the underlying determinants of climate change adaptation strategies and how they have affected smallholder farming. This study done in Bungoma County, undertook to evaluate climate change adaptation strategies and their effect on food production. The theories of utility, stated and revealed preference were used in the study. Random sampling method was used to select a sample of 150 smallholder farmers. Structured questionnaires and Participatory Rural Appraisal approach were the techniques used to collect data. The method of data analysis was both qualitative and quantitative where descriptive statistics was used to analyse the first two objectives which were to identify indigenous and emerging climate change strategies in the study area. Multinomial Logit Model was used to analyse the last two objectives of evaluating socio – economic and institutional factors influencing choice of climate change adaptation strategies.The study identified various indigenous and emerging adaptation strategies and evaluated socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the choice of these strategies. Mulching and soil fertility management were the most common indigenous and emerging strategies respectively. Quality extension services, credit facilities and access to information were vital in facilitating adaptation of better and affordable climate change coping strategies which enhances small holder‟s food production. Unpredictable rainfall pattern and high temperatures were found to have adversely affected food production and rural livelihoods. Adaptations outside of agriculture are also important for livelihood diversification and increasing resilience to climate variability in study area. Government, research institutions and stakeholder need to provide climate change information to farmers through training and extension services. Research, trainings and extension on climate change issues should be provided by both the public and private sectors as they are crucial in ensuring farmers adapt to climate change. Investments in infrastructure such as roads and irrigation systems, affordable credit schemes, and climate information systems would help create the enabling conditions for adaptation to climate change.