Kenyan pastoralists adapt to climate variability

A study on “Impact of climate variability on pastoral households and adaption strategies in Garissa County, Northern Kenya” by Michael Okoti et al, published in 2014 in the Journal of Human Ecology 45 (3): 243–249, has been summarised in accessible form in the e-newsletter The Conversation (1 May 2019) under the title “How Kenya’s pastoralists are coping with changes in weather patterns”.

From a sample of 350 pastoralist households, the authors found that impacts of climate change included weakened animals because of trekking long distances to access pasture and water, loss of livestock because of lack of feed and water, increase in pests and diseases, and increase in livestock-wildlife conflicts. The pastoralists have adapted in various ways, including investment in livestock species more resilient to drought (a shift towards camels), migration to access pasture and water, livelihood diversification, feeding more purchased or harvested foods, water tankering, livestock offtake before major drought, restocking, and longer watering intervals for all livestock. Diversification of livelihoods included cropping, business, remittances, relief supplies, informal employment and selling wood for fuel. This information is important for national policymakers and planners on climate change adaptation strategies in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya.

Posted on 12 June 2019 in Pastoralism & Climate Change