Theme: Use of Sustainable Natural Resource Management Strategies to Enhance Water and Food security for Sustainable Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers
Component Lead: Dr. Charles Ndungu, PhD Environmental Science

Activity One

Activity Title: Assessment of vulnerability of pastoralist, agro-pastoralist and agriculturist farmers to changing climate along the study transect

Activity Rationale

Vulnerability studies are important in providing information required in supporting policy driven or planned adaptation. This is because the success of policy-driven adaptation depends on the understanding of the system’s vulnerability to climate change and variability. This is key in identifying vulnerable regions or sectors and prioritizing resource allocation for adaptation, in line with ASALI project activities. Further, it comes in handy in recommending adaptation measures for specific regions and sectors (Fussel and Klein 2006). Consequently, the proposed study will adduce useful information in identifying vulnerable livelihoods, especially among agriculturist, agro-pastoralism and pastoralism, sectors and localities in the study area which will be pivotal in formulation of corresponding adaptation strategies.

Main Objective

To assess agro-pastoralist, agriculturist and pastoralist farmers’ vulnerability to climate change and variability in Kitui, Machakos and Kajiado counties of Kenya;

Sub-Objectives

1. Determine spatial variability of household level vulnerability to climate change and variability in the study area.
2. Develop a predictive model for assessing household level vulnerability to climate change and variability in the study area
3. Suggest some policy actions to address household level vulnerability to climate change and variability in the study area based on the study findings

Sub-Activities

1. Working out the indices on the basis of the vulnerability indicators, localities, livelihoods and agro-ecological zones
2. Identify biophysical and socio-economic drivers of vulnerability
3. Produce maps on spatial vulnerability of the study area

Dissemination

The dissemination of findings will follow the ASALI propagation strategy that has been intentionally developed to broadcast knowledge accrued from the component activities researches. In efforts to communicate knowledge to target audiences so that it may be used to lead to change, the activity will continuously identify recipients of potential adopters through an assessment of climate of readiness for change and, enabling transfer of activity outcomes. This will take care of the challenge to improve the accessibility of desired knowledge products by those they are intended to reach. Dissemination will overall take the following forms:

1. Scientific Papers
2. Exposure to Field experiments
3. Outreach Activities
4. Stakeholder Participation
5. Workshops and Seminars
6. Radio and Television
7. Print Media
8. News Releases
9. Blogs.
10. Mass Emails
11. Text messages.
12. Social Networking Websites.
13. Government Websites
14. Community Websites
15. Public Announcements.
16. Newsletter
17. Pamphlets
18. Brochures
19. Video Recording and Circulation
20. Field days

Activity Two

Activity Title: Establishment of Social and Economic Community Village

Activity Rationale

The social and economic village will enhance the livelihood assets of the community, thus strengthening their adaptive capacity to climate change and variability. Further, the consequent research on resilience being built in the community will provide the ASALI project with new knowledge on how best to empower people to come out of vulnerability and sustain resilience. It will also enable the target community to discover and appreciate their vulnerability sources and how best to address the situations.

Objective

The overall objective is to assist in building resilience of local communities

Sub-objectives

1. to provide housing infrastructures and startups for social and economic empowerment;
2. to provide and install bee hives for the Social and Economic Community Village
3. to provide startup capital for two business entrepreneurships (hair salon and ITC Centre)
4. to capacity build the target community in management of the Social and Economic Community Village, water supply and resilience measures;

Sub Activities

These are defined by the above named sub-objectives

Dissemination

The dissemination of findings will follow the ASALI dissemination strategy that has been intentionally developed to broadcast knowledge accrued from the component activities researches. In efforts to communicate knowledge to target audiences so that it may be used to lead to change, the activity will continuously identify recipients of potential adopters through an assessment of climate of readiness for change and, enabling transfer of activity outcomes. This will take care of the challenge to improve the accessibility of desired knowledge products by those they are intended to reach. Dissemination will overall take the following forms:

1. Scientific Papers
2. Exposure to Field experiments
3. Outreach Activities
4. Stakeholder Participation
5. Workshops and Seminars
6. Radio and Television
7. Print Media
8. News Releases
9. Blogs
10. Mass Emails
11. Text messages
12. Social Networking Websites.
13. Government Websites
14. Community Websites
15. Public Announcements.
16. Newsletter
17. Pamphlets
18. Brochures
19. Video Recording and Circulation
20. Field days