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This study provides an overview of changing climatic conditions in Kajiado County based on analysis of climatic data and perception of pastoralist on key climatic variables. It collates the two sources of knowledge on climate change, indicating the consistency and inconsistency between the two. Rainfall and temperature data of the study area for a period of 43 years (1970-2013) was collected from Kenya Meteorological Service, organized and analyzed using Microsoft excel. The perception of Maasai pastoralist to climate change was determined using questionnaires, focus group discussions and key informant interview. Result shows that rainfall trend in Kajiado County have a high variability level (CV %) of 27.5% for Kajiado North, 21.5% for Kajiado West, 26.4% for Kajiado East and 25.2% for Kajiado Central. Although, there is no significant change for rainfall over the study period, result on perception revealed that 83% of respondent perceive that rainfall amount is reducing in the last 30years. However, perception of pastoralist about years of extreme drought corroborates the meteorological trend of years with very low rainfall. A rise in minimum temperature (1.41 0 C), maximum temperature (0.47 0 C) and average temperature (0.94 0 C) occurred between 1970 and 2013. This agrees with the perception of 81% of Maasai pastoralist, which perceived that temperature has been increasing in the last 30 years. Overall, the results of this study are in line with recent trend of global warming in the region as reported by the latest Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2014) report.

Human adaptive responses to climate change occur at the local level, where climatic 8 variability is experienced. Therefore analyzing vulnerability at the local level is important in 9 planning effective adaptation options in a semi-arid environment. This study was conducted to 10

Forest and the goods and services they provide are essential for human livelihood and wellbeing. An assessment on the likely impact of  deforestation on NTFPs along gender line is therefore imperative for effective adaptations for NTFPs collectors. The study examined the adaptive strategies to deforestation stress employed among NTFPs collectors across gender line in Oluwa Forest Reserve area of Ondo State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents for the study. Data were collected with the aid of well-structured interview schedule on 181 NTFPs collectors (94 males and 87 females) and analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The data targeted socio-economic characteristics, level of availability of (NTFPs) in the mist of deforestation currently and 30 years ago as well as adaptive strategiesemployed by the respondents in the study area. Findings revealed that average age of male and female respondents were 48 and 43 years, respectively. Bitter Kola, Kola Nut, Mango and Walnut were NTFPs available in abundant 30 years ago. In recent years, the study discovered that only Mango and Walnut were available in excess despite persistent deforestation in the study area. Deforestation impacted more on female collectors compared to their men counterpart. The finding also shows that female collectors employed more of domesticated NTFPs and indigenous protection methods as adaptive strategies against deforestation. The study recommended training on scientific domesticated system of planting (NTFPs) for both male and female NTFPs collectors as well as community policing to cope against deforestation in the study area. Key words: adaptive strategies, deforestation, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), gender

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