Adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices among Agro-Pastoralist in Sagante Jaldesa Ward, Marsabit county, Kenya

Abstract

Climate change poses severe threats to agricultural productivity in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), where Agro-pastoralists rely heavily on rain-fed systems. This study investigated the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among Agro-pastoralists in Sagante Jaldesa ward, Marsabit County, focusing crop and livestock adoption levels, socio-economic and environmental determinants and the effectiveness of different strategies. The research was motivated by persistent vulnerabilities in ASALs where recurrent droughts, flash floods, and environmental degradation undermine food security and livelihoods. A review of literature highlighted CSA’s three pillars which included the increasing productivity, building resilience and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while noting adoption challenges such as high costs, cultural resistance and weak institutional support. The study used a mixed-methods design combining household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Data were collected from households engaged in both crop and livestock production ensuring representation of diverse Agro-pastoralists. The Diffusion of Innovation and Adopter Perception Model theories guided this research work. The study used a mixed methods approach to collect data from 381 households using structured questionnaires, complemented by focus group discussions and key informant interviews with agricultural officers and development partners. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression models while qualitative insights contextualized adoption barriers and opportunities. Results revealed moderate but uneven adoption. On the crop side, improved maize and bean varieties were grown by 83.7% of households (n=319), while drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet, and teff were cultivated by only 14.1% (n=54). Soil fertility management was common, with 62.0% (n=236) applying manure, whereas fertilizer use was minimal at 8.3% (n=32). Livestock practices showed stronger uptake: supplementary feeding (40.2%, n=153) and fodder conservation (40.0%, n=152) were prevalent, while improved breeds were adopted by 27.1% (n=103) and retention of climate-tolerant local breeds was limited to 6.6% (n=25). Herd composition reflected cultural preferences, with cattle kept by 80.1% (n=329) compared to camels at 24.8% (n=102) despite their resilience. Socio-economic factors significantly shaped adoption. Education emerged as the strongest determinant (33.53%), followed by gender disparities (23.23%), land tenure security (21.93%), group membership (14.11%), and farm size (7.20%). Access to services was limited: although 53.5% of farmers cited credit as influential, only 8.8% accessed credit facilities. Weather information was the most accessible service (74.9%), primarily via radio (68%), while extension officers reached just 28%. Environmental factors such as manure application (79.6%) and drought-tolerant crop planting (59.1%) supported resilience, but biodiversity conservation remained low (26.5%). Regression analysis showed older farmers were nearly four times more likely to cite cultural beliefs as barriers (). Institutional strategies had mixed effectiveness. While initiatives like the Kenya Climate-Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) improved awareness, adoption remained below optimal levels, with 169 males and 79 females reporting no CSA knowledge. Stakeholder interventions included seedling distribution (64%) and fertilizer provision (13%), yet farmers valued tangible inputs more than training. Chi-square analysis revealed disparities: seedling distribution was associated with occupation (), trainings with age (), and mechanization with gender () and age (). The study concludes that CSA adoption in Marsabit is shaped by a complex interplay of cultural traditions, socio-economic realities, and institutional gaps. Recommendations include strengthening farmer education, expanding flexible credit services, improving stakeholder coordination, and aligning policies with local socio-cultural contexts.