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Integrating Farmers and Scientific Methods for Evaluating Climate Change Adaptation Options in Embu County

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Adapting African Agriculture to Climate Change

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

Abstract

Potential for promoting sorghum crop as a climate change adaptation strategy for rain-fed agriculture in Embu County, Kenya was evaluated using farmer perceptions and scientific methods. Three hundred and sixty six smallholder farmers participated in the evaluation. The treatments which were overall rated as ‘good’ are tied ridges with a mean score of 2.9 and mean rank (2,873.87). Under this treatment sorghum grain yield of 3.7 t ha−1 was recorded with application of 40 kg P ha−1 + 20 kg N ha−1 + Manure 2.5 t ha−1. This was closely followed by tied ridges and contour furrows overall rated ‘good’ best three under the same soil fertility management options with a mean score ranging from 2.65 to 2.8 and yielding 2.7–3.7 t ha−1. However, the treatments which were rated as ‘poor’ were experiment controls with a mean score below (1.43), mean rank (1,101.24) and yielding as low as (0.7 t ha−1). Therefore, integration of organic and inorganic inputs under various water harvesting technologies could be considered as an alternative option towards food security under climate change for semi-arid areas of Embu County.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC—Grant Number 105790-003) and Arid and Semi-arid Lands-Agricultural Productivity Research Project (ASAL-APRP). We would like to acknowledge the Director KARI, Centre Director KARI-Muguga and Kenyatta University supervisors for their facilitation. Authors would also like to acknowledge the contributions by staff from KARI-Muguga south, KARI-headquarters, KARI-Embu and KARI-Njoro for their assistance. We are grateful to all the area agricultural extension officers and farmers who participate in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resource Management, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, KARI Muguga South, P.O. Box 30148-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    P. N. M. Njeru, J. Mugwe, I. Maina, M. Mucheru-Muna, D. Mugendi, J. K. Lekasi, S. K. Kimani, J. Miriti, V. O. Oeba, A. O. Esilaba, E. Mutuma, K. P. C. Rao & F. Muriithi

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  1. P. N. M. Njeru
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  2. J. Mugwe
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  3. I. Maina
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  4. M. Mucheru-Muna
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  5. D. Mugendi
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  6. J. K. Lekasi
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  7. S. K. Kimani
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  8. J. Miriti
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  9. V. O. Oeba
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  10. A. O. Esilaba
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  11. E. Mutuma
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  12. K. P. C. Rao
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  13. F. Muriithi
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Correspondence to P. N. M. Njeru .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya

    Anthony O. Esilaba

  3. International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Karuturi P.C. Rao

  4. International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Gummadi Sridhar

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Njeru, P.N.M. et al. (2015). Integrating Farmers and Scientific Methods for Evaluating Climate Change Adaptation Options in Embu County. In: Leal Filho, W., Esilaba, A., Rao, K., Sridhar, G. (eds) Adapting African Agriculture to Climate Change. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-13000-2_16

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