Baringo County - The Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation

ICCA 603- 2014- GROUP 2- ASSIGNMENT 2
THE TURKANA COMMUNITY
1. IDENTIFY CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS AND IMPACTS, FOCUSED ON THE COMMUNITIES
VULNERABILITIES, RESOURCES AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.(PROVIDE AMAP OF THE CHOSEN AREA)
AND
2. RECOMMEND COPING STRATEGIES AND THEIR SUSTAINABILITY
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GROUP 2 MEMBERS:
Owino Fredrick
I58/75409/2014
Wanjohi Hellen N.
I58/74740/2014
Shaka Saumu Tama
I58/76157/2014
Koech Sammy
I58/75587/2014
Chege Mary W.
I58/74245/2014
Oleku Sammy R.
I58/74474/2014
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Outline of presentation
 The Turkana community: An
introduction
 Community resources
 Climate change hazards and their
impacts on the community
 Vulnerability aspects
 The way forward: sustainable
coping mechanisms
The Turkana: An
Introduction
Found mainly
in Turkana
County,
Kenya. Few
are found in
the
surrounding
counties of
Samburu and
Pokot.
• Total Population:
855,399
• Households:
111,758
• Growth rate:
3.3%
• Population Density:
14
(Kenya Population Census, 2009).
(Kerio Valley IRDMP, 2013-2033).
Economic Profile
Economic Sectors
Employment
6%
Mixed
Farming
9%
Crop
Farming
10%
•
The GDP of
the County in
2011-2012
was estimated
at 6 billion
(Kerio Valley
IRDMP, 20132033).
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Pastrolism is
the dominant
practice in the
County.
Retail Trade
12%
Fisheries
8%
Bee Keeping
3%
Statistical Abstract, 2012
Livestock
52%
Community Resources

The People & Culture

Livestock
Subsistence,
Prestige/ Status,
Dowry, Traditional
Ceremonies

Oil

Rich
pasture
fieldsLotikipi
plains
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Along which agro-pastoralism and
fishing is practiced
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Lake Turkana- (largest desert
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Newly discovered aquifer in
Lotikipi Plains
Kerio and Turkwell Rivers
Various laggas
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Water Resources
lake in the world and cradle of
mankind – UNEP 2013.
Fish- in Lake
Turkana
Over 11 million
heads of goats,
sheep and cattle
(Kenya Population
census, 2009).
Climate Change Hazards Facing the Turkana
• Devastating floods
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Increased severity and incidence
of droughts•
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Drought-occurrence cycle has
reduced from 10 years to less
than 5 years.
In 2009, Turkana’s experienced
one of the worst droughts to
ever hit the region.
• Unpredictable
weather patterns,
less frequent rains
Vulnerability of community

Poverty
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Over-reliance on one form of
livelihood
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Illiteracy
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Resistance to change

Isolation – little access to
information, education, poor
infrastructure etc.

Gender inequality

Conflict
Negative Impacts
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Economic Impacts- Loss of livestock (up to 40% of
the herd is lost- Kerio Valley IRDMP, 2013), loss of
property (over 1200 households affected by
flooding- Red Cross 2008), sale of livestock at
throw-away prices during droughts, drop in
livestock production, destroyed infrastructure.
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Health Impacts- Livestock diseases, regular
outbreaks of communicable diseases in humans,
malnutrition, starvation.
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Physical Environment Impacts- Receding lake,
reduced water availability in water bodies,
vanishing pasture
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Social Impacts- Increased conflict over scarce
resources (affected by the ‘climate changemigration-conflict’ from neighboring Pokot and
Karamajong from Uganda), splitting families over
increased migratory patterns.
Recommended sustainable coping mechanisms
Local
Government/
Community
Level
Individual/
household Level
National Level
Adaptation
and Mitigation
Mechanisms
a). National government level
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Integration of livelihood protection and diversification, especially for pastoralists into policy and development
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Climate change information dissemination
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Long term commitment to promote adaptation strategies to climate risks.
b).
Local government & community level
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Information dissemination in local language
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Develop and undertake plans that support climate‐resilient livelihoods such as diversification, access and
mobility, security vocational skills, infrastructure, provision of social services, marketing.
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Combine traditional knowledge and practices the new knowledge, practices and technology.
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Improve land tenure systems and natural resource management by building on traditional and local systems.
Examples:
Preservation of
enclosures for
dry season
grazing
Migrationpastoralists
migrate
temporarily
Sell of male stock at
end of rainy season;
the female stock
are maintained for
milk
Drought coping mechanisms
Provision of
fodder by the
government
Storage of
fodder
Adaptation of
alternative
livelihoods such as
farming, bee
keeping and
charcoal burning
c). Individual/ household level
 Awareness of the reality of climate change
 Having access to climate information for planning their
private economic activities and inform their decisions.
 Choosing a mix of climate‐resilient livelihood practices.
 Diversified livelihoods rather than livestock (fishing,
weaving).
 Engaging more in cash economy.
REFERENCES:
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Adger, W.N.; Agrawala, S.; Mirza, M.M.Q.; Conde, C.; O’Brien, K.; Pulhin, J.; Pulwarty, R.; Smit, B. and Takahashi, K. (2007):
Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and
vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
(IPCC) , M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, (eds.) Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Avery S., 2012. Lake Turkana and The Lower Omo: Hydrologic impacts of major dam and irrigation developments: Volume 1 –
Report. African Studies Centre, University of Oxford.
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DFID. Global and local environment team, policy division. 2004. Adaptation to climate change: making development disaster
proof. London.
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Government of Kenya. Ministry of Arid Land and natural Resources. 2007. National policy for the development of arid and
semi arid lands of Kenya. Nairobi.
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Kerio Valley Development Authority, 2013. Kerio Valley Integrated Regional Development Master Plan 2013-2033.
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IRIN/Gwenn Dubourthoumieu,
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OCHA, UNDP project 2012-15.
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UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service, 2013. Balancing economic development and protecting the cradle of mankind Lake Turkana basin.
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GROUP 2 MEMBERS:
Owino Fredrick
I58/75409/2014
Wanjohi Hellen N.
I58/74740/2014
Shaka Saumu Tama
I58/76157/2014
Koech Sammy
I58/75587/2014
Chege Mary W.
I58/74245/2014
Oleku Sammy R.
I58/74474/2014