Climate change impacts and relevance of smallholder farmers’ response in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya

Kalele, Dorcas; Ogara, W. O.; Oludhe, Christopher; Onono, Joshua Orungo

doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2021.e00814

Cited by 52 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Isiolo and Samburu Counties experience tropical climatic conditions characterized by two rainy seasons; receive long rains from March to May, while the short rains are experienced from October to November (GoK 2013, GoK 2018a). Due to climate change and other drivers, they receive rainfalls in highly erratic and unpredictable patterns, which partly explains why crop cultivation is unsuitable and unreliable source of livelihood in these counties (GoK 2013, Kalele et al 2021). This partly contributes to high levels of food insecurity and poverty in the two counties.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use value of indigenous range grass species in pastoral northern Kenya

Omollo¹,

Wasonga²,

Chimoita³

2023

Ethnobot. Res. App.

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Background: Land degradation is a major challenge facing the world today, with devastating effects particularly among communities inhabiting semi-arid rangelands who are more directly dependent on natural resources. Over the years, indigenous grasses have provided multiple economic, ecosystem and cultural benefits for many communities in Kenya. However, they have increasingly experienced declining abundance, diversity and productivity over the years, compromising their benefits. This study was conducted to assess use value and local knowledge of indigenous grasses among pastoral communities in Isiolo and Samburu Counties in northern Kenya.Methods: Ethnobotanical data were computed and ranked based on four use indices: relative frequency of citation, relative importance index, cultural value index and cultural importance index. Four key use-categories of the grasses were identified including livestock forage, erosion control, thatching and making hay for sale.Results: Top ranked grasses across these use-categories included Pennisetum mezianum, Chrysopogon plumulosus, Heteropogon contortus and Sporobolus helvolus. These are perennial grasses with multiple uses and are available in wet and dry sessions and in drought periods. While trend analysis revealed overall declining availability of indigenous grasses over recent decades, it strongly came out that the four above-mentioned most preferred species had highest declining availability as perceived by local communities.Conclusions: These findings indicate need for enhanced actions for conserving indigenous grasses considering their multiple benefits and declining availability. Practical local knowledge, traditional structures and their pasture management models are great opportunities for creating responsive actions for rehabilitating degraded critical grazing areas while conserving key indigenous grasses.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use value of indigenous range grass species in pastoral northern Kenya

Omollo¹,

Wasonga²,

Chimoita³

2023

Ethnobot. Res. App.

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“…One of the contexts that has not been extensively investigated is semiarid areas. In Kenya, arid and semi-arid areas make up about 84% of the land mass and with an average annual rainfall of 400 mm (Kalele et al, 2021). Despite this, livestock production, including goat and poultry farming, thrives.…”

Section: Ijse 502mentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of smallholder farmers' membership in co-operative societies: evidence from rural Kenya

Miroro¹,

Anyona

Nyamongo³

et al. 2022

IJSE

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“…Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces food shortage problems due to highly variable and less predictable weather conditions, poor soil fertility, unsustainable agricultural practices, low adoption of technology, and pest and disease attacks (Connolly-Boutin & Smit, 2016;de Graaff et al, 2011;Kalele et al, 2021). These challenges, compounded by the fast-growing population, impede the region's capacity to meet the people's daily and seasonal nutritional and food security needs (Hall et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Maize Yield Response to Agricultural Management Strategies Using the DSSAT–CERES-Maize Model in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya

Kipkulei

Bellingrath-Kimura

Lana

et al. 2022

Int. J. Plant Prod.

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Maize production in low-yielding regions is influenced by climate variability, poor soil fertility, suboptimal agronomic practices, and biotic influences, among other limitations. Therefore, the assessment of yields to various management practices is, among others, critical for advancing site-specific measures for production enhancement. In this study, we conducted a multiseason calibration and evaluation of the DSSAT–CERES-Maize model to assess the maize yield response of two common cultivars grown in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya under various agricultural strategies, such as sowing dates, nitrogen fertilization, and water management. We then applied the Mann–Kendall (MK), and Sen’s Slope Estimator (SSE) tests to establish the yield trends and magnitudes of the different strategies. The evaluated model simulated long-term yields (1984–2021) and characterized production under various weather regimes. The model performed well in simulating the growth and development of the two cultivars, as indicated by the model evaluation results. The RMSE for yield was 333 and 239 kg ha−1 for H614 and KH600-23A, respectively, representing a relative error (RRMSE) of 8.1 and 5.1%. The management strategies assessment demonstrated significant feedback on sowing dates, nitrogen fertilization, and cultivars on maize yield. The sowing date conducted in mid-February under fertilization of 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare proved to be the best strategy for enhancing grain yields in the region. Under the optimum sowing dates and fertilization rate, the average yield for cultivar KH600-23A was 7.1% higher than that for H614. The MK and SSE tests revealed a significant (p < 0.05) modest downwards trend in the yield of the H614 cultivar compared to the KH600-23A. The eastern part of Trans Nzoia County demonstrated a consistent downwards trend for the vital yield enhancement strategies. Medium to high nitrogen levels revealed positive yield trends for more extensive coverage of the study area. Based on the results, we recommend the adoption of the KH600-23A cultivar which showed stability in yields under optimum nitrogen levels. Furthermore, we recommend measures that improve soil quality and structure in the western and northern parts, given the negative model response on maize yield in these areas. Knowledge of yield enhancement strategies and their spatial responses is of utmost importance for precision agricultural initiatives and optimization of maize production in Trans Nzoia County.

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Climate change impacts and relevance of smallholder farmers’ response in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya

Cited by 52 publications

References 12 publications

Use value of indigenous range grass species in pastoral northern Kenya

Use value of indigenous range grass species in pastoral northern Kenya

Determinants of smallholder farmers' membership in co-operative societies: evidence from rural Kenya

Assessment of Maize Yield Response to Agricultural Management Strategies Using the DSSAT–CERES-Maize Model in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya

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