Assessment of fish farmers’ vulnerability to climate variability and extreme climate events in selected parts of Kitui County, Kenya

Abstract

Fish farmers are a vulnerable group to climate variability and extreme climate events effects as their production heavily relies on precipitation and temperature. However, previous studies on vulnerability of fish farmers to climate variability and extreme events have been done on global, regional and national scales, thus failing to capture the local realities on spatial variability. The current study was carried out to assess the household-level vulnerability of fish farmers to climate variability and extreme climate events in selected parts of Kitui County, Kenya. Purposive sampling technique was used to pick two study sites, namely Kitui Central and Kitui East. Fish farmers’ vulnerability to climate variability and extreme climate events was worked out using the integrated vulnerability assessment method. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to assign weights to selected exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity indicators. The study employed a descriptive research design. Data on fish farmers’ socio-economic status, past experiences with the occurrence of extreme climate events, and adaptation strategies adopted in response to climate variability and extreme events was obtained by using a household survey interview schedule. This data was complemented by rainfall and temperature data for 30 years (1989 - 2019) collected from Kenya Meteorological Department, Kitui County office. A sample size of sixty (60) fish farmers was selected through random sampling from a target population of (200) fish farmers in the study area. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 and Ms Excel were used to analyze the data. In regards to the exposure index of the fish farmers, Kitui Central fish farmers recorded (-0.10) while Kitui East fish farmers recorded (1.02). The sensitivity index of Kitui Central fish farmers was (-0.91) and that of Kitui East fish farmers was (2.67). Further, the adaptive capacity of Kitui Central fish farmers was (1.11) and that of Kitui East fish farmers was (0.74). The results of the study also revealed that Kitui East fish farmers had a vulnerability index of (2.96) and Kitui Central fish farmers recorded (0.31) to climate variability and extreme climate events. The overall vulnerability index and its components were statistically significant (p<.01) except for the exposure index. The results also indicated that fish farmers in the study area had adopted multiple adaptation strategies to combat the effects of climate variability and extreme climate events. Consequently, Kitui Central fish farmers registered a higher percentage in adoption of most adaptation strategies compared to Kitui East fish farmers. Therefore, this study recommends that policies on adaptation interventions be put into place to buttress fish farmers' adaptive capacity to cope with vagaries of climate variability and extreme climate events in the study area and beyond.