Factors Influencing the Adaptation Decisions to Impacts of Climate Change among the Maasai Pastoral Community in Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Climate change has adverse effects on household food security and on poverty alleviation among pastoralists. This study used unique household-level data from 415 pastoral households from three sub-counties—of Narok County in Kenya to identify the major determinants of their decision to select different community-based adaptation strategies to impacts of climate change. The results from a logit model indicated that the household head characteristics (gender, education (secondary and university level), marital status, and the main occupation), socio-economic and institutional factors (access to credit, access to water, and access to climate related information) were important in enhancing the adoption of the adaptation strategies to impacts of climate change. Therefore, to enhance the resilience of pastoral communities to impacts of climate change, policies that incorporate indigenous knowledge, promote community-led adaptation, enhance effective and appropriate dissemination of climate-related information at the local level and those that provide access to relevant institutions should be formulated. In addition, livestock off-take schemes, and framework needs to be set through the establishment of effective and efficient livestock markets specifically in the pastoral areas in order to cushion pastoralist from deepening into food insecurity and poverty during the occurrences of extreme climate events.