The Relationship between Climate Change, Variability, and Food Security: Understanding the Impacts and Building Resilient Food Systems in West Pokot County, Kenya

被引:11
作者
Obwocha, Everlyne B. [1 ]
Ramisch, Joshua J. [2 ]
Duguma, Lalisa [1 ]
Orero, Levi [1 ]
机构
[1] World Agroforestry ICRAF, POB 30766-00100, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
[2] Univ Ottawa, Sch Int Dev & Global Studies, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
关键词
climate change; Kenya; variability; food security; West Pokot; DIFFERENCE VEGETATION INDEX; CHANGE ADAPTATION; FARMERS PERCEPTIONS; TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE; INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE; METEOROLOGICAL DATA; MULTIPLE STRESSORS; CENTRAL RIFT; RAINFALL; REGION;
D O I
10.3390/su14020765
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
This study integrated local and scientific knowledge to assess the impacts of climate change and variability on food security in West Pokot County, Kenya from 1980-2012. It characterized rainfall and temperature from 1980-2011 and the phenology of agricultural vegetation, assessed land use and land cover (LULC) changes, and surveyed local knowledge and perceptions of the relationships between climate change and variability, land use decisions, and food (in)security. The 124 respondents were aware of long-term changes in their environment, with 68% strongly believing that climate has become more variable. The majority of the respondents (88%) reported declining rainfall and rising temperatures, with respondents in the lowland areas reporting shortened growing seasons that affected food production. Meteorological data for 1980-2011 confirmed high inter-annual rainfall variability around the mean value of 973.4 mm/yr but with no notable trend. Temperature data showed an increasing trend between 1980 and 2012 with lowlands and highlands showing changes of +1.25 degrees C and +1.29 degrees C, respectively. Land use and land cover changes between 1984 and 2010 showed cropland area increased by +4176% (+33,138 ha), while grassland and forest areas declined by -49% (-96,988 ha) and -38% (-65,010 ha), respectively. These area changes illustrate human-mediated responses to the rainfall variability, such as increased stocking after good rainfall years and crop area expansion. The mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values ranged from 0.36-0.54 within a year, peaking in May and September. For weather-related planning, respondents relied on radio (64%) and traditional forecasters (26%) as predominant information sources. Supporting continuous climate change monitoring, intensified early warning systems, and disseminating relevant information to farmers could help farmers adopt appropriate adaptation strategies.
引用
收藏
页数:35
相关论文
共 159 条
[1]   Forest classification of Southeast Asia using NOAA AVHRR data [J].
Achard, F ;
Estreguil, C .
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, 1995, 54 (03) :198-208
[2]  
Adams Richard., 1988, WESTERN J AGR ECON, V13, P348
[3]   Climate volatility and poverty vulnerability in Tanzania [J].
Ahmed, Syud Amer ;
Diffenbaugh, Noah S. ;
Hertel, Thomas W. ;
Lobell, David B. ;
Ramankutty, Navin ;
Rios, Ana R. ;
Rowhani, Pedram .
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS, 2011, 21 (01) :46-55
[4]   Evaluating the impacts of land use/land cover changes across topography against land surface temperature in Cameron Highlands [J].
Aik, Darren How Jin ;
Ismail, Mohd Hasmadi ;
Muharam, Farrah Melissa ;
Alias, Mohamad Azani .
PLOS ONE, 2021, 16 (05)
[5]   How Do We Improve Crop Production in a Warming World? [J].
Ainsworth, Elizabeth A. ;
Ort, Donald R. .
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY, 2010, 154 (02) :526-530
[6]   INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT OF PEARL MILLET IN THE SAHEL COMBINING CATTLE MANURE, CROP RESIDUE AND MINERAL FERTILIZER [J].
Akponikpe, Pierre B. I. ;
Michels, Karlheinz ;
Bielders, Charles L. .
EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURE, 2008, 44 (04) :453-472
[7]  
Amber C, 2011, GEOINFORMATICS, V4, P32
[8]   Long-term dynamics in land resource use and the driving forces in the Beressa watershed, highlands of Ethiopia [J].
Amsalu, Aklilu ;
Stroosnijder, Leo ;
de Graaft, Jan .
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, 2007, 83 (04) :448-459
[9]   Climate change adaptation through local knowledge in the north eastern region of Bangladesh [J].
Anik, Sawon Istiak ;
Khan, Mohammed Abu Sayed Arfin .
MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES FOR GLOBAL CHANGE, 2012, 17 (08) :879-896
[10]  
[Anonymous], FORECASTING FUNCTION