Economic value of water harvesting for climate-smart adaptation in semi-arid Ijara Garissa, Kenya

J Mwaura,J Koske,B Kiprotich

doi:10.1186/s40068-017-0088-3

J Mwaura, J Koske + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s40068-017-0088-3

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Abstract

BackgroundThe semi-arid Ijara experienced erratic and declining rainfall whereas temperature increased, triggering extreme weather events shocks. Given the shocks that outwitted traditional coping mechanisms, pastoralists spontaneously took to water harvesting pans as adaptation strategy. The spontaneity translated into unclear costs benefits which the study clarified by isolating them for analysis and also measured the strategy’s viability. The design used was costs-benefit-analysis, complemented by the regional financial market-driven 15% discounting rates. Also co-ordinated regional downscaling experiment models were used to ascertain climate performance and projection. Household questionnaire was administered to 240 calculated from 9000 farmer population.ResultsAnnual water pan cash flow netted present value US$ 5393 and 57% pastoralists had embraced agro-pastoralism. Land size inadequacy and the communal tenure upset 86.26% users and 53.08% lacked requisite skills. Other challenges were feed deficit at 30.41%, and diseases 20.41% in that order. Benefits from harvesting water exceeded costs, making the investment viable for adaptation.ConclusionConsidering the limited adaptation capacities, disease control and feed deficit costs, policies need to focus on formulating climate-smart water harvesting technologies, improve feed to include revitalizing traditional grazing management practices. Other pertinent investment opportunities include strategic value-chain linkages and infrastructure as well enriched soil stabilization using multi-benefits crops and generation and consistent use of weather data.

Highlights

The semi-arid Ijara experienced erratic and declining rainfall whereas temperature increased, triggering extreme weather events shocks
The semi-arid Ijara falls within the 95,000–120,000 km2 water catchment that is drained by the 1000 km long River Tana that arises from Aberdare Ranges in central Kenya
Vulnerability, risk assessment and identification of strategies At the pre-field phase of the study rapid household vulnerability assessment was conducted followed by adaptation options selection

Summary

Introduction

The semi-arid Ijara experienced erratic and declining rainfall whereas temperature increased, triggering extreme weather events shocks. Given the shocks that outwitted traditional coping mechanisms, pastoralists spontaneously took to water harvesting pans as adaptation strategy. The design used was costs-benefit-analysis, complemented by the regional financial market-driven 15% discounting rates. Impacts of climate change and variability affect agricultural productivity which depends directly on climatic conditions increasing adaptation costs (Rosenzweig et al 2008; Skiba et al 2012; European Union 2014; IPCC 2014). Mwaura et al Environ Syst Res (2017) 6:11 of climate-smart adaptation strategies, which benefits traditional coping could not provide. The semi-arid Ijara falls within the 95,000–120,000 km water catchment that is drained by the 1000 km long River Tana that arises from Aberdare Ranges in central Kenya. Increasingly uncertainty about the river’s flooding regime affected both crop and livestock production, necessitating sustainable rain water harvesting

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