To Determine the Sustainability of Livelihoods Impacted by Climate Change in Kapsokwony Division, Mt. Elgon Sub-county, Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

Mt. Elgon Ecosystem (MEE) is greatly endowed with vast natural resources that include fauna, flora, soils, river water and minerals. However, in recent years the ecosystem has witnessed accelerated environmental degradation and loss of natural capital due to impacts of climate change. The climate change impacts have adversely affected livelihoods of area residents by threatening food production systems, increased poverty levels and slowed down economic development. The societal problems that include lack of clean drinking water, deepened poverty, food security, waterborne diseases, soil erosion, environmental degradation and loss of ecosystem services, economic ruins, decline in agricultural output and poor livelihoods are a big challenge. The farmers in the region have little adaptive capacity due to limited economic resources and heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture. The ultimate aim of the study was to generate long term policies and adaptive strategies to be implemented to lead to desirable improved livelihoods and sustain development. In general, the study was designed to analyze the impacts of climate change on livelihoods and deepened poverty levels. Both long and short term changes in climate will disproportionately continue to impact the poor smallholder farmers in the future if correct mitigation and adaptation measures are not put in place. Smallholder farmers in the region have continued to depend on traditional technologies to cope with climate change vulnerabilities. The research therefore highlights the existing scientific and indigenous technologies to counter the impacts of climate change in the study area. The collaborative research is characterized by top – bottom and bottom – top integrated research structure and entails dialogue by all the stakeholders. Primary data was collected by informant and in-depth interviews, focused group discussions (384).  The data analysis for quantitative and qualitative data was carried out by use IBM statistical packages of the SSPS version 23.0 method. Using descriptive, tabular and graphical statistics, the data was analyzed in terms of frequency distribution and percentage to understand it and meaningful conclusions to be made. The data was then presented in tables, frequencies, figures and percentages. The research study achieved capacity building, adaptive learning, community empowerment and resilience. The application of transformation knowledge will help reduce impacts of climate change and climate variability on livelihoods in the region. The results will play a significant role in attitude and behavior change as well as create awareness amongst area residents. The new societal knowledge was used to elucidate long term policies and adaptive strategies to enhance climate resilience, improve livelihoods and sustain social economic development. The new adaptive policies and knowledge will be down-streamed to household levels in the study area. The study recommends collaboration among stakeholders and integration of various sources of knowledge in addressing climate change and climate variability among residents in Kapsokwony Sub-county. Further research should be carried out in the future to corroborate these findings in order to enhance socio-economic development, improve livelihoods and at the same time counteract the threats of climate change.