Determine factors contributing to vulnerability of fishermen to these disasters

Abstract

Natural and technological hazards are common occurrences facing the fishing community throughout the world. Statistics show that fishermen on Lake Victoria particularly on the Kenyan side experience many natural and technological hazards including floods and storms.Vulnerability of fishermen to natural hazards is increasingly becoming a global concern. Consequently, fishermen have devised their own local coping mechanisms to the vulnerabilities posed by natural and technological hazards. However, in Kenya, little has been documented on the coping strategies employed by fishermen in relation to the existing natural and technological hazards. The overall objective of the study, therefore, was to assess the vulnerability of fishermen to natural and technological hazards on the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria. Specifically, the study sought to: establish natural and technological hazards affecting fishermen on the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria; examine factors contributing to vulnerability of fishermen to these hazards and to evaluate the effectiveness of coping strategies employed by fishermen in relation to the existing hazards. A cross-Sectional research design was employed. The study population was 40078 which comprised of fishermen, village elders, Beach Management Units (BMU) managers, Government officers. The researcher selected a sample of 625 respondents which included a sample size of 401 fishermen, and 84 key informants and 140 participants in focus group discussions. There were 14 focus group discussions each comprising of 10 participants.Cluster and random sampling techniques were used to select fishermenwith subcounties being the basis of clustering before applying simple random techniques. Key informants were sampled purposively. Questionnaires were used to obtain data from fishermen, while interview schedules were used to obtain data from key informants. The study employed observation checklists. Content validity was established by expert judgment. Cronbach alpha coefficient was obtained to establish reliability of instruments. The data was coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented using frequencies which was obtained to show distribution of responses. Spearman rho correlation analysis was conducted to establish the relationships between the study variables. Results were displayed using bar graphs, tables, pie charts and bar charts to present the data. The findings of the study revealed that fishermenon the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria were vulnerable to natural and technological hazards. The study recommended that more emphasis should be placed on community awareness/capacity building on metrological hazards in the Lake; mitigation and adaptation measures targeting disaster risk reduction in Lake Victoria should focus on addressing the safety of vessels particularly boats and perception of risk by the fishermen and any effort to address disaster risks at the lake should build on the local adaptations because on the overall they contributed to lake disaster risk reduction.