Gender, assets dynamics and cognitive processes in enhancing adaptive behavior in climate risk management in Kenya

Despite a vast body of literature on adaptation has been accumulated over the last years, there is little empirical research on intra-household perceptions and the resulting adaptation of farmers to climate change. Using intra-household analysis of 156 households from temperate, humid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones in Kenya, this study examines husbands’ and wives’ level of awareness about the causes and impacts of climate change, their adaptation preferences and drivers for the intensity of adaptation in agriculture.

The study also explores Kenyan farmers’ intrinsic values for adopting climate-smart agricultural practices through employing an innovative methodology that combines Means-end chain (MEC) analysis with the “laddering” technique. This research component makes a vital contribution to the emerging literature on cognitive and socio-psychological aspects of environmental governance in a rapidly changing climate.

Lastly, using a panel data set of 360 households, the study assesses the impact of shocks (climatic and non-climatic) on household assets and its poverty implications. While income and expenditure is the yardstick used to measure the impact of shocks, the present study employs an assets-based analysis. With the current trend of climate change, poor rural households may be trapped into poverty as they try to cope with exogenous shocks.