Perceptions of the effects of floods and droughts on livelihoods: lessons from arid Kenya
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management
ISSN: 1756-8692
Article publication date: 15 May 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how people practicing natural resource-based livelihoods in arid Kenya perceive that their livelihoods are being affected by floods and droughts and how to integrate these local perceptions of impacts into larger-scale climate change adaptation initiatives and policy.
Design/methodology/approach
In Isiolo County, Kenya, 270 households were surveyed in seven communities, six focus group discussions were held and a document review was conducted.
Findings
The major livelihood practiced in Isiolo is pastoralism (71 per cent), but agriculture and non-agro-pastoral activities also play an important role, with 53 per cent of the respondents practicing more than one type of livelihood. In Isiolo, floods have a large impact on agriculture (193 respondents out of 270), while droughts impact both agriculture (104 respondents) and livestock (120 respondents), and more specifically, cattle-keeping (70 respondents).
Research limitations/implications
The research may have implications for the importance of using local perceptions of the effects of climate change on livelihoods for larger-scale interventions. It also provides a case study of local perceptions of the effects of floods and droughts on livelihoods in an arid area with natural resource-dependent livelihoods.
Practical implications
To understand local perceptions and use local perceptions for larger-scale adaptation interventions and policy.
Originality/value
This paper provides a specific example of a climate change adaptation initiative integrating local perceptions of the impacts of floods and droughts into livelihood-focused interventions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was conducted in Isiolo County, Kenya, as part of the PfR Project. The Partners for Resilience Project is a collaborative effort of several Dutch-based organizations including: The Netherlands Red Cross (NLRC), The Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid), CARE Netherlands, Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre (RCCC) and Wetlands International (WI) and operating in nine countries (Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mali, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Nicaragua and Columbia). In Kenya, they are also partnered with the Kenya Red Cross Society, Merti Integrated Development Project and Waso River Users Empowerment Platform. The authors wish to thank all these organizations for their logistic and financial contributions to this research. The Partners for Resilience Project partners funded all aspects of the research in the field, while Quandt served as a Junior Researcher. In addition, the authors would like to thank all of the Kenya Red Cross Society volunteers who helped conduct surveys and the communities themselves for participating in this study. Lastly, the authors would like to thank three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.
Citation
Quandt, A. and Kimathi, Y.A. (2017), "Perceptions of the effects of floods and droughts on livelihoods: lessons from arid Kenya", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 9 No. 03, pp. 337-351. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-11-2014-0132
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited