Adaptation of Climate-Smart Technologies among Agro-Pastoralists of Marsabit County, Kenya

Abstract

Marsabit County is located in arid areas of Kenya, where drought is the major challenge affecting communities. Lack of adaptation to adverse climate events has made communities more vulnerable thus calling for intervention to minimize effects. Adaptation through climate smart agricultural technologies and practices have been found to enhance resilience to climatic stresses, increase productivity and reduce greenhouse gases. Despite government and developmental organizations disseminating climate smart technologies and practices, the communities still rely on food aid which is unsustainable. The study was conducted in Karare, Marsabit Central (Dakabaricha) and Sagante/Jaldesa of Saku Sub- County in Marsabit where agro-pastoralism is practiced. The objective was to identify crop-livestock climate-smart practices adapted by agro-pastoralists. The research design adopted was a survey, target population was agropastoralists with a sample size of 373 households. The data was collected using questionnaires administered to agro-pastoralists, key informants and focus groups. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22. The study findings show that agro-pastoralists practiced climate smart technologies which were categorized into six groups; improved and traditional crop varieties, managing diversity on farm, water and water use management, soil fertility management, livestock management , and pasture management and conservation. Specific practices, however, were low; agroforestry 21.7%, improved livestock breed 19.8%, grassland management 18.8%, rainwater harvesting 11.5%, irrigation 16.9%, fertilizer application 9.1%, introduction of local breeds 7.2%, and rangeland reseeding 1.9% The study recommended an enhanced investment in climate smart technologies that already exist among the agro-pastoralists for up scaling