Social Capital and Climate Change Perception in the Mara River Basin, Kenya

Abstract

Climate change is a phenomenon that affects different facets of human livelihood. However, the general public does not easily comprehend it. This study was inspired by the realization that climate change is not just an ecological entity but that social processes have a crucial role to play in responding to the climate change crisis. Community perception is critical because it determines response to the crisis. Social capital has been identified as key in creating a framework for understanding community dynamics. In the Mara River Basin in Kenya, a fragile environment that supports a large population in Western Kenya, social capital has been analyzed by this study and linked to community perception of the climate change crisis within the basin. The study therefore seeks to demonstrate how social capital can be used to develop a deeper understanding of the cognizance of climate change nuances at community level.
Key Words: Mara River Basin, Social Capital, Networks, Ties, Climate Change, Perception, Information flow