C Impacts of Cl Production Barasa, B. M. O. Department of Emergency Management Studies, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), P.O. Box 190 Code 50100, Kakamega, Kenya Email: barasabeatrice83@yahoo.com Abstract – Climate fluctuates naturally from days, seasons, years and few decade The short-medium term fluctuations aro climate scales, is referred to as climate v variability is manifested in the: increase i conditions; land degradation, changes in diminishing natural resource productiv areas, irreversible loss of biodiversity. Ag sensitive to climatic conditions and he climate fluctuations which often result in This study assessed impacts of clim agricultural production in Kakamega co study adopted the descriptive survey sampling strategy was used to obtain the from where four hundred (400) farme sampled. Key Informants were purposiv structured questionnaires, Focus Group D Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and obs were used to collect data. Data we inferentially and descriptively using SP package version 17. Respondents obser impacts of climate variability in cr production: Reduction in the quality and produce as a result of emergency of p vectors (98.2%); increased erosion (92.4% soil fertility (89.6%); seasonal uncertain the time of sowing (51.1%). Regarding liv general reduction in size, diversity and breeds of livestock (78.3%). The study con variability had impacted negatively on production. This study recommended th their agricultural practices in line w fluctuations as adaptation increases vulnerable communities. Keywords – Agricultural Sector, Variability. I. INTRODUCTION Climate fluctuates naturally on all days, seasons, years and few decades The short-medium term fluctuations ar state on climate scales, is referred to as (IPCC, 2004; IPCC, 2007).Studies sugg climate variability vary in different locat the complex bio-physical interactions economic conditions and the unique exist in these regions (Li et al., 2011; G Nonetheless, IPCC (2007) observes tha temperature near the earth surface rose 1906 and 2005 and scientists estimate Copyright © 2015 IJAIR, All right reserved 1638 International Journal of Agriculture I Volume 3, Issue 6, limate Variability in Agric n in Kakamega County, K S. B. B. Oteng’i Department of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Engineering Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), P.O. Box 190 Code 50100, Kakamega, Kenya J. Departme and S Masinde Mu Technolog Code 5 y on all time scales es to many decades. ound mean state on variability. Climate in extreme weather n rainfall patterns; vity; and in some gricultural sector is ence vulnerable to n negative impacts. mate variability in ounty, Kenya. The design. Multistage geographical areas ers were randomly vely sampled. Semi Discussions (FGDs), servation check lists ere analyzed both PSS statistical data rved the following rop and livestock d quantity of farm pests, diseases and %); deterioration of nties and change in vestock, there was a quality of genetic ncluded that climate livestock and crop hat farmers adapt with the climatical resilience of the Climate, Impacts, N time scales from to many decades. round some mean climate variability gest that impacts of tions depending on , changing socio- features that may Gosh et al., 2011). at globally, the air by 0.74° between e that it could be increased as much as 6.4 °C o century. Existing literature doc atmospheric concentrations equivalent to a doubling of c force a rise in global average su 3.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 2007). The IPCC further o precipitation will rise as much warmer atmosphere holds more In Kenya, records indicat temperatures have increased by a consequent increase in the num (Mutimba et al., 2010; NC precipitation projection in the c by approximately 0.2- 0.4 pe 2010). The country experienc decade and minor ones ev (Mutimba, 2010; NCCRS, 2 1993, Kenya has declared o attributable to droughts and fl 2012; NADMA 2011). The change in climate has m upon agricultural production b on climate factors such as tem (Valerie et al., 2010; Glwadys, Muchemi 2010).Climate variab can be divided into bio and 2007). It is therefore cruc acknowledge and perceive thes turn inform their adaptation st Impacts of climate variability in Kakamega County, Kenya purp II. MATERIALS A 1: Study Site The study site was Kakam county comprises of twelve (12 on Fig. 1.The county lies betwe and latitudes 0 0 and 1 0 N of the 1,250-2000m. It has an area kilometers (GoK, 2009). Th identified because according to 2010, the county’s population the second most populous coun This county has one of the high Kenya averaging to 544 pe locations, one thousand (10 Manuscript Processing Details (dd/mm/yyyy Received : 15/05/2015 | Accepted on : 22/05 Innovations and Research , ISSN (Online) 2319-1473 cultural Kenya . W. Wakhungu ent of Disaster Management Sustainable Development uliro University of Science and gy (MMUST), P.O. Box 190 50100, Kakamega, Kenya on average during the 21st cument that an increase in of greenhouse gasses carbon dioxide (CO2) will urface temperature of 1.0 to 0 (UNFCCC, 1998; IPCC observes that an average h as 10% to 15% because a e water (IPCC 2007). te that the mean annual y 1 0 C since the 1960s with mber of hot days and nights CCRS, 2010). Total annual country suggest an increase er cent per year (NCCRS, ces major droughts every very three to four years 010; KMD, 2012). Since over six national disasters loods (DFID, 2010; KMD, mainly adversarial impacts because the sector depends mperature and precipitation 2009; Kakubo et al., 2007; bility impacts in agriculture physical types (Maddison, cial for the farmers to se impacts which should in trategies. This study on the n agricultural production in posed to establish this. AND METHODS mega county, Kenya. The 2) sub-counties and detailed een longitude 34 0 and 35 0 E Equator and within altitude a of about 3,224.9 square he site was purposively o the latest census report of stood at 1,660,651, being nty in Kenya (GoK, 2009). hest population densities in ersons per km 2 . In some 000) people live on the y) : 5/2015 | Published : 08/06/2015