Abstract:
Agroforestry presents a promising option to sustainable agricultural productivity by providing a buffer to climate variability through permanent tree cover and varied ecological niches. Thus, agroforestry can be used as a strategy to adapt to climate change and variability challenges for smallholder farmers. Success of this strategy in adapting to climate change calls for active participation of men and women in agroforestry technologies. This study aimed to establish roles women play in adapting to agroforestry technologies for climate change and variability in Makindu and Nguumo locations, Makindu sub county, Makueni County. Specific objectives were; (i) To establish the agroforestry technologies women practiced in Makindu and Nguumo locations to counteract climate change and variability effects (ii) To examine the extend of women empowerment in and accessibility to these technologies and their adoption in the same locations (iii) To determine the role played by agroforestry technologies to the livelihoods of women in Makindu and Nguumo locations. A cross-sectional survey research design was used to collect data using semi-structured questionnaires. The study focused on Makindu and Nguumo locations. Using coefficient of variation method, a sample size of 109 households were randomly selected from a sampling frame of 11,571 households in both locations. In Nguumo location 54 households, Makindu location 55 households were sampled. Out of 109 questionnaires, 107 were returned for analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The results revealed that females were more active and leading in practising most the agroforestry technologies in both locations. Females in Makindu scored 55.8% in both hortisilvipastoral and hortipastoral (highest), males scored 44.2% in both (lowest). In Nguumo, females scored 54.7%, in agrisilviculture, males 45.3%. A chi-square test of independence calculated comparing frequency of agroforestry technologies applied and gender in both locations showed a significant interaction, (X2 (10) = 119.1, p <0.05) hence women were more involved in agroforestry technologies application. However, women face challenges in adoption of agroforestry technologies. Factors with major effects in Nguumo and Makindu locations respectively were; lack of basic education 20.8% and 18.5%, women are not decision makers 17.1% and 16.7%, socio-cultural factors 15.1% and 16.7% but the effects were higher in Nguumo location than Makindu location. The study established the need to enhance women capacity in making decisions, accessing resources equitably and benefitting from agroforestry development initiatives. It was concluded that it is very critical to empower women to enable them adopt the agroforestry technologies.
