Drought Adaptation Strategies Among Smallholder Cereal Farmers In Makueni County, Kenya

Abstract

Increasing frequency and severity of drought increase vulnerability of smallholder cereal farmers globally. Arid and Semi-Arid Lands cover 80% of Kenya and location around the equator are major factors in drought development in the country. Frequent droughts result in fluctuations in cereal yields hence food insecurity in Makueni County. This study evaluated community-based and indigenous knowledge drought adaptations practiced by smallholder cereal farmers in Makueni County, Kenya. This study adopted explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. Household surveys (N=225) and key informant interviews (N=16) were used. Descriptive techniques were used in data analysis. The study found that frequent droughts in Makueni County resulted in adoption of small farm sizes for production of maize, sorghum and finger millet. Majority of the farmers produced between 1 and 10 bags of cereals. Majority (50.2%) of the smallholder cereal farmers who adopted community-based adaptations and indigenous knowledge-based drought adaptations strategies recorded an in increase in cereal yields in Makueni County. Early planting (66.7%), timely weeding (61.4%), manure application (57.0%), improving land tillage (56.1%), seed spacing (55.3%) and planting droughtresilient seeds (44.7%) led to the high annual cereal yields ranging between 1 and 10 bags in Makueni County. The drought adaptation strategies are commendable for upscaling in agro-ecological zones with similar climatic conditions in order to improve food production in the country. Information and data generated by this study is expected to result in improvement in drought adaptation policy formulation and adaptive capacity of smallholder cereal farmers hence, improvement in food production and security.