EFFECTIVENESS OF ADAPTATION STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY GREEN GRAM FARMERS IN IMPROVING YIELDS IN MAKUENI SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: This study examined the effectiveness of adaptation strategies adopted by green gram (Vigna radiata) farmers in improving yields in Makueni Sub-County, Kenya.
Statement of the Problem: Although global and regional studies have documented a range of adaptive practices, scanty empirical evidence exists on the specific adaptation strategies adopted by green gram farmers in Makueni.
Methodology: Anchored on the Sustainable Livelihood Theory (SLT) and adopting an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study used primary data from 387 respondents sampled from 50,280 households through structured questionnaires, complemented by four key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a simple linear regression of an aggregated Adaptation Strategy Composite Index on a Likert-scaled yield outcome at the 5% significance level, with qualitative data analyzed thematically.
Findings: Drought-resistant varieties (36.6%), early maturing varieties (29.6%) and changed planting dates (21.1%) were the most adopted crop management strategies, while conservation tillage (91.2%), water conservation structures (88.1%) and terracing (87.6%) dominated soil and water conservation. Adaptation was predominantly short-term, with 90.7% of strategies implemented within two years. Cost (100%), ease of implementation (96.6%), traditional knowledge (93.0%) and peer experience (86.6%) were the principal factors influencing strategy selection. Regression revealed a weak, statistically non-significant relationship between the adaptation strategies index and yields (β = −0.097, p = 0.055; R² = 0.009), indicating that the strategies primarily mitigate risk rather than drive productivity.
Conclusion: Current adaptation practices stabilize yields against climatic shocks but do not translate into measurable productivity gains, functioning largely as short-term coping rather than sustained adaptive capacity.
Recommendation: Sustained and disaggregated adoption of crop management and soil-water strategies, supported by financially accessible, context-specific interventions and stronger institutional support, is needed to convert short-term risk mitigation into long-term yield improvement and food security in Makueni Sub-County.
Keywords: Adaptation strategies; Climate variability; Green grams; Makueni Sub-County; Sustainable Livelihood Theory; Kenya
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