PHD-School of Environmental Studies

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This collections contains bibliographic information and abstracts of PHD theses and dissertation in the School of Environmental Studies held in Kenyatta University Library

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Browsing PHD-School of Environmental Studies by Subject "Climate Variability"

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    Adaptation and Coping Strategies to Climate Variability among Small-Scale Farmers in Arid and Semi-Arid Agro-Ecological Zones of Laikipia County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2021) Ndichu, Gitau D.; Cecilia Gichuki; Richard Kerich
    Climate variability as expressed by droughts, heavy rainfall, flooding, intense temperatures, hail storms and cyclones pose a major threat to small-scale crop farmers. Arid and semi-arid regions are known to have hot and dry climate with low and erratic rainfall that varies widely both in spatial and temporal parameters. Unpredictable seasons have been exacerbating the perennial uncertainty of farmers in most parts of ASALs where subsistence farming is practiced. This study aimed at delineating the adaptation and mitigation strategies applied by small-scale farmers in Laikipia County due to climate variability. The research sample population was drawn from the agro-ecological zones which are determined by the climatic parameter patterns. The sample size was determined systematically using probability proportion to size sampling method. Questionnaires were administered in randomly sampled households in five arid and semi-arid regions, namely; Salama, Rumuruti, Ol Moran, Mukogondo and Ngobit which experience frequent drought related challenges. An interview schedule was prepared and administered to local leaders. Rainfall and temperature data from the Kenya Meteorological department between 1970 -2018 were obtained to gather further information on climate variability in Laikipia County. The quantitative data collected were then analysed using descriptive statistic and presented in charts, tables and graphs. The qualitative data at household level were collected through focused group discussions, key informant interviews, and observations and were analysed thematically according to the set objectives of the study. More secondary data were derived from a review of existing literature and records from relevant institutions.These data were then analysed using statistical Package for social Sciences (SPSS Version 22.0) Computer programme to generate descriptive statistics like frequency, mean, percentage and standard deviation. The results showed that, over the years (1970 – 2018), there was a decline in the precipitation in Laikipia County with an R2 value of 0.76%. During the same period, the maximum temperature tended to increase with R2 value of 17.41% .The average minimum monthly temperature also increased, R2 value of 14.24%. Further, the perception of the farmers was sought using multivariate probit model (MVP). The results indicated that 92.3% had perceived changes in climate.Further,54.5% had noted that the rainfall was receding while 76.0% had noted an increase in temperature. The MVP model showed that crops production had declined and seasons changed. The study showed that the small scale farmers had varied adaptation strategies depending on; their locality, climate, topography and availability of resources for both on-farm and off-farm. Among the adaptation strategies employed by the farmers included use of drought resistant crops at 4.72%, irrigation along the riparian areas at 11.6%.Others provided labour to the green house farms at 23% and reducing their livestock at 8.6% . The study recommended that the small-scale farmers need to be supplied with water, certified seeds and technical assistance from Agricultural extension officers. Farmers reported several barriers in the implementation of adaptation strategies that included; accessibility to seed varieties, lack of skilled labor, advanced farm implements, climate change information, and capacity to learn and apply techniques in their daily practice. The information gathered from the study was intended to improve the social capacity of the small-scale crop farmers in addressing adaptation strategies and the policy/decision makers to formulate policies aimed at addressing the challenges faced in Laikipia and ASAL regions.
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    Community Preparedness, Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change in Kajiado County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2022) Mutua, Kitheka; Samuel O. Ocholla; Joseph K. Muriithi; Eric K. Bett
    Climate change has led to an average of 5% reduction in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of developing countries. Climate change is characterized by changes in climate indicators, for example an estimated 5% increase in global temperatures leads to 10% decline in agriculture productivity. These changes require adoption of adaptation and mitigation strategies among inhabitants of the developing countries. However, there is insufficient knowledge on the indigenous knowledge based early warning systems and indicators that have guided the local community in resource use and management as well as the adaptation and mitigation strategies adopted by pastoralists in Kajiado County. Similarly, the socio-economic impacts of climate variability and change on livelihoods of pastoralists in the County is not well understood. The general objective of the study was to assess community preparedness, adaptation mitigation and the existing communities‟ local knowledge-based early warning indicators with an ultimate aim of generating information that will be useful in climate variability and change early warning, preparedness, adaptation and mitigation. The study addressed knowledge gap by use of mixed method research design, applying the use of multiple methods of data collection and analysis. Multi-stage sampling was applied where stratified sampling was used to select two sub counties, simple random sampling was used in selection of households for administration of the questionnaire and snowballing procedure in identification of key informants. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science. Quantitative data was analyzed using various multi nomial regressions and thematic analysis done on qualitative data. The results showed that there was an indigenous based knowledge system composed of early warning indicators within Kajiado County. However, most of the respondents were not aware of the early warning indicators. The most commonly used early warning indicator was flowering and shedding of leaves by some plants (48.7%). Others included observation of animal behaviour (11.2%), high temperatures and wind direction (8.6%), orientation of stars (8.4%), shape of the moon (7.1%), appearance of red ants (6.9%), migration of birds and wilder beast (4.8%), bleating of goats (3.0%), colour of sky (0.8.%), and appearance of cyclones (0.5%). Observation of the shoat‟s, intestines was also reported during the focus group discussion. The adaptation strategies adopted by the respondents were grouped into water conservation strategies, sustainable land use strategies, cropping management strategies, livelihood/income diversification strategies, food security and resilience related strategies and livestock management strategies. The adoption of these strategies was significantly influenced by socioeconomic variables that included the age and gender of the household head, cost of water, herd sizes and selling price of cattle, education level of the household head and the formal employment. The elements of extreme weather condition that included drought, floods and extreme temperatures had significant impact on household socioeconomic variables that included size of arable land, food aid, land tenure, number of meals taken by a household per day, household income from formal employment and number of livestock kept. In view of these findings, the study recommends capacity building (through creation of indigenous based knowledge hubs) on indigenous knowledge based early warning system/indicators among the pastoral communities toensure generational transmission of the knowledge and promotion of culturally appropriate climate variability and change adaptation and mitigation strategies.