Livelihood Vulnerability Approach to Assessing Climate Impacts on Smallholders in Kisumu, Kenya

Climate change vulnerability depends upon various factors and differs between places, sectors and communities. Subsistence farmers in Africa including Kenya have been identified as particularly vulnerable. However, the knowledge on causal effects and dynamics surrounding their vulnerability is still limited. This study aims to test vulnerability assessment indices, livelihood vulnerability index and IPCC vulnerability index, around Katuk Odeyo, in Kisumu Kenya. A total of 315 small householders were surveyed. Data on socio demographics, livelihood determinants, social networks, health, food and water security, natural disasters and climate variability was collected and combined into indices for respective sub-components and three dimensions (exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity) of vulnerability. The findings help in designing site-specific intervention strategies to reduce vulnerability of subsistence smallholders to climate change.