Integration of climate change adaptation strategies in smallholder potato production through a collective Learning community in Mauche ward, Nakuru County, Kenya

Global warming has led to intensity of extreme events that affect agricultural production worldwide, and sub-Sahara Africa in particular, where economies are highly dependent on agriculture and adoption of modern technology is low. Kenyan agriculture is vulnerable to climate-induced risks and uncertainty manifested in low crop yields. Although potato is a food security and cash crop for many smallholder farmers in Mauche Ward of Nakuru County, its production is affected by variability in rainfall patterns, increased pests and diseases and postharvest loses associated with climate change (CC). This study sought to enhance CC resilience and adaptation capacities of smallholder potato farmers by building their capacity to integrate selected crop, soil and water management intensification strategies in potato production through a Collective Learning Community (CLC) in Mauche Ward. The study adopted both Survey research and Participatory Action Research designs. The study population comprised of all smallholder potato farmers in Mauche Ward. Simple random sampling was used to select 150 smallholder potato farmers to participate in a survey. One active potato Common Interest Croup comprising of 30 farmers was purposively selected to implement the CC adaptation strategies. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, checklists and topic guides validated by experts in the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension. Cronbach‘s Alpha coefficient was used to test reliability of the questionnaire. A reliability coefficient of 0.86 was obtained. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used in quantitative data analysis to test the Null Hypothesis at 5% level of significance. Analytical tools and procedures employed to obtain qualitative data included Potato Value Chain (VC) Analysis, Problem Tree Analysis, Stakeholder Analysis, Net-Map toolbox, Multi-Criteria Analysis and Brainstorming. Multiple Linear Regression was used to analyze quantitative data. The study revealed that CC negatively affects smallholder potato production. Challenges affecting the potato VC were inadequate knowledge on climate change adaptation strategies, limited access to clean seed and lack of collective marketing. There is need to promote participatory research and joint innovation in a CLC to enhance capacity building of farmers, stakeholder networking, CC knowledge generation and dissemination as well as ensuring sustainable utilization of research findings. Positive selection to improve availability of clean potato seed and streamlining of potato marketing are requisite to integration of CC adaptation strategies in potato production.