Climate Change Adaptation Information for Improved Agricultural Productivity among Smallholder Farmers in Lower Eastern Kenya

Abstract

The effects of climate variability and change on communities are felt across the globe thus adaptation information is sought as a panacea. With the pervasive uncertainty on expected weather patterns amidst climate variability and change, sound decisions are fundamental. As a consequence, this study hypothesized that achieving increased climateinformed

adaptation action requires the dissemination of climate change adaptation information. The relevant risk factors and policy domains should be particularly targeted at the sustainability of this course. This study generally aimed at determining the effect of climate change adaptation information on productivity. Specifically, the study characterized the pathways through which farmers in lower eastern Kenya access agroadvisories and the effect of socio-economic characteristics on access to agro-advisories.

The

study also went ahead to look at the policies that support the dissemination of adaptation information and lastly determined the effect of agro-advisory utilization on food productivity. To achieve these objectives, 400 farming households and 15 key informants were interviewed in lower Eastern Kenya. Thereafter, principal component analysis, multivariate probit regression and endogenous switch regression model were used to analyze the type of agro-advisories received through various pathways, the effect of socio-economic factors and adaptation information effect on productivity respectively. Further, document analysis, thematic analysis and mean ratings were used to determine the effectiveness of the existing policy regimes. Based on the study findings, both Information Communication Technologies (ICT) and face-to face interaction sessions are used to receive agro-advisories. Several factors; gender, age, ownership of phones and radio, occupation of the household head among other factors significantly determined the pathway used to access agro-advisories. On policies, institutional arrangements and funding were the least effective instruments supporting information dissemination. The uptake of adaptation information entailing soil/water conservation and crop/varietal adjustment had a significant positive impact on productivity. The study therefore recommends that other types of adaptation information such as environmental protection are included in agro-advisories, the significant socio-economic factors are considered in the preparation and dissemination processes, policy instruments such as institutional arrangements, expertise and legal frameworks are improved and reinforced to ensure dissemination thus access to agro-advisories in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and lastly, support that enables use of information such as provision of tolerant seeds are looked into. The findings contribute to the existing body of scientific knowledge particularly on climate change adaptation information as a decision-making tool that should be mainstreamed into farm-level planning. It additionally provides a basis for drawing and reinforcing existing policy regimes towards supporting the generation, dissemination and use of climate change adaptation information to minimize the rising risks in ASALs of Kenya hence enabling farming households across the region to make the best of every season.