Effects of adaptation to rainfall variability on livelihood vulnerability of crop farming households in semi-arid lands: a case of Kitui south sub-county, Kenya

Abstract

Rainfall variability has adverse effects on livelihoods of rain-fed crop farming households. However, the role of adaptation in reducing this vulnerability has not been well documented. The objective of this study was to contribute to understanding the effects of adaptation to rainfall variability on households’ livelihood vulnerability. A questionnaire was used to collect household data for analysis. Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) was calculated for each household. Adaptation strategies to rainfall variability used by the households in the study area were identified and regression analysis, 𝐿𝑉𝐼=𝛽0+𝛽1+𝛽2+......+ε,used to establish significance of the adaptation to rainfall variability on households’ livelihood vulnerability. The study established that despite households using many adaptation strategies, this did not contribute significantly to reduction of their levels of livelihood vulnerability (p=0.2076). The study concludes that differences in livelihood vulnerability among households in the study area can be attributed to variations in socio-economic factors and therefore adaptation alone is not sufficient in reducing households’ vulnerability to rainfall variability. The study recommends the need of addressing socio-economic factors which contribute to high levels of LVI among households as intervention measures to effects of rainfall variability in dry lands.