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Impacts of climate variability and change on integrated crop-livestock farming systems in Machakos County, Kenya

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Research Paper 08/07/2024
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Impacts of climate variability and change on integrated crop-livestock farming systems in Machakos County, Kenya

David M. K. Nyamai, Dorothy A. Amwata, Julius K. Kilungo
J. Bio. Env. Sci.25( 1), 128-142, July 2024.
Certificate: JBES 2024 [Generate Certificate]
Key: Climate variability and changeImpactsKenyaMachakos CountyMixed crop-livestock

Abstract

Integrated crop-livestock production systems play an important role in meeting the rising demand for food and income for most developing countries, including Kenya. Production has become uncertain due to the rapidly changing climate, threatening food security. However, the potential impacts of climate variability and the change on the mixed crop-livestock systems have not been extensively studied. The study aimed to assess the impacts of climate variability and change on mixed crop-livestock farming in the arid and semi-arid county of Machakos. The study demonstrates that climate change and variability are already having significant adverse impacts on the mixed crop-livestock farming system in Machakos County. The most frequent climate variabilities and extreme events were unreliable rainfall (83.3%), drought (72.8%), rising temperatures (71.8%), and pests and diseases (65.3%). Several impacts of climate change were reported on both crops and livestock production. The major impacts experienced include low yields (88.8%), loss of income (82.3%), crop failure (81.1%), livestock deaths (69.0%), forage scarcity (65.2%), decline and drying of water sources (64.0%) and destruction of infrastructure (53.3%). The climate variability and change have adversely affected mixed crop-livestock farming in Machakos County and, ultimately, agricultural productivity and food security. The findings help site-specific intervention strategies to reduce the impacts of mixed agro-livestock farming on climate change.

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