Effects of climatic variability on livelihood choices among rural populace in Baringo County, Kenya and Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper analysed the implication of climatic variability on livelihood assets among the rural populance in Baringo County, Kenya and Jigawa State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling and questionnaires were administered to 338 households in Baringo County, 153 households in Jigawa State were sampled and Focused Group Discussion were organised. Data were analysed using frequency distribution statistics, trend and Multiple Regression analysis. The result shows that age, gender, education level and house hold size are the major determinant of livelihood choices in both locations. In Jigawa State, decreasing rainfall showed positive impacts on livestock keeping, maize and beans cultivation, bee keeping, aquaculture while the increasing temperature was observed to have positive impacts on millet, beans and sorghum farming while it showed negative impact on horticulture, bee keeping and aquaculture, livestock keeping, poultry farming and fruit production both in Baringo County and Jigawa. In Baringo County, drought (?̅=3.78), crop pest and diseases (?̅=3.65), livestock pest and diseases (?̅=3.70), cases of human diseases (?̅=4.01) and drying of water bodies (?̅=3.53) and in Jigawa, drought (?̅=3.95), livestock pest and diseases (?̅=3.4670), cases of human diseases (?̅=3.46) and drying of water bodies (?̅=4.14) were identified as implications of climatic variability respectively. The paper empahasised the need for pro-active measures to avert the negative implications of climatic variability in order to maximize the positive influences. Also relevant governement agencies should act promptly to update the rural populance on the adaption measures especially water management and conservation methods.

Keywords: Climatic variability, Livelihood, Rainfall, Temperature, Perception