Climate Change Exacerbates Vulnerability in Kenya’s Machakos and Makueni Nairobi, Kenya – A recent Climate Vulnerability Assessment has underscored the severe climate-related challenges facing the agricultural sectors in Machakos and Makueni counties, located in the semi-arid eastern region of Kenya. These challenges are particularly acute due to the heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, which is highly susceptible to the variability of rainfall patterns.
The assessment, carried out by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), reveals that both Machakos and Makueni are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, particularly rainfall variability. Over two million residents depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture for subsistence and income generation, and their livelihoods are at risk.
The analysis indicates that the counties experience bimodal rainfall patterns, with the main seasons occurring from March to May and October to December. Annual rainfall ranges from 500mm to 1,300mm, with high inter-annual and intra-seasonal variability. Historical data from 1991 to 2020 shows multiple consecutive years of below-normal rainfall, interspersed with extreme flooding events.
The vulnerability assessment highlights that over 92% of smallholder farmers in Machakos report low yields, 82. 3% experience loss of income, and 81. 1% face crop failures due to climate variability.
In Makueni, 75% of farmers report reduced yields and 95% experience frequent and prolonged droughts. Socio-economic factors exacerbate the climate vulnerability in both counties, with poverty rates hovering around 33% and limited access to essential services. Education attainment is low, and infrastructure challenges, including poor road networks and limited access to markets, further constrain farmers’ability to diversify income sources and access credit facilities.
The report also emphasizes the gender dimension of vulnerability, with women constituting between 42% and 65% of the agricultural workforce yet facing systematic barriers in accessing productive resources. Land ownership patterns reflect deep-rooted inequalities, with 75% of women not owning agricultural land and 62% of those who do lacking formal title deeds.
The IGAD assessment calls for urgent adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector. These strategies include the development of drought-resistant crop varieties, water conservation techniques, and the promotion of sustainable land management practices.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: reliefweb
Source: Intergovernmental Authority on Development
