The use of seasonal
climate forecasts can inform implementation of planned adaptation strategies to
stabilize pastoral livestock assets in drought prone agro ecological zones. The
main objective of this study was to assess use of seasonal climate forecasts as
strategies for securing pastoralists assets in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs)
of Baringo County. The study used five (5) study locations that were
purposively picked to ensure that they fall within the ASAL agro-ecological zones,
LM5 and IL6. The total sampled households from the five locations was 221. The study used data
from household survey to establish barriers to use of seasonal climate
forecasts, use of traditional climate information and enabling conditions. Mean
comparisons and frequencies of ratings were generated to ascertain the use of
traditional climate information among the respondents. Sensitivity analysis was
useful in identifying the most significant barriers to uptake of seasonal
climate forecasts and the best and most significant enabling
conditions/institutions to the access and usage of climate forecasts. The study
established that majority (72.4%) of the respondents relied on traditional
climate forecast methods than scientific methods in decision-making. The
factors with greater influence on uptake of seasonal climate forecast
information were lack of information, access, diversified sources of income and
insecurity/conflicts, illiteracy and culture. The institutions with large
influence were knowledge dissemination linked to radio and extension services
and local climate information. The study recommends increased investments in
strengthening and equipping human resource capacities of the pastoral
community, local weather stations and extension services to foster uptake of
scientific climate information to help reduce vulnerability to drought events
in the arid and semi-arid lands.
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