Comparative Analysis of The Role of Gender in Climate Change Adaptation Between Kajiado And Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Many studies on adaptation to a changing climate have been undertaken across the world Kenya included. However, comparative analysis of gender in relationship to climate adaptation is poorly documented. This study therefore investigated how gender impacts community based adaptation to climate change in Kajiado County, representing mainly pastoral/ASAL regions of Kenya characterized by dry conditions and falling between agro climatic zones IV-VII and Kiambu County, representing mainly farming/highland regions of Kenya characterized by wet conditions and falling under agro climatic zones of between I-III. The study applied systematic random sampling to identify 312 households for interviews. Purposive random sampling was applied where fourteen key informant interviews were done together with six Focus Group Discussions involving three groups of men only, women only and inclusive one to verify information from the individual interviews within the selected communities. The results are comparative analysis of how communities in two different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) adapted to climate change coupled with declining resource base while operating on unequal gender dynamics. The assumption of the study was change in climate in Kajiado and Kiambu County would lead to increased food insecurity and gender disparity. Respondents from both Counties experienced increased drought periods, reduced rainfall patterns thus negatively impacting their livelihood sources. However, there is more gender disparity in Kajiado than Kiambu and also climate change has execrated the situation thus undermining efforts toward food security.