The projected global temperature increase, more intense rainfall and more frequent droughts will have devastating effects on pastoral livelihoods. An understanding of the perception of environmental changes by the key stakeholders is an important element in the planning for the sustainable responses and management of the same. Pastoralist communities are known to manage their vast grazing territories and exploit resource variability through strategic mobility of the herds. However, the knowledge on which pastoralists’ resource management techniques are based on and their perception of the key issues affecting herd mobility has received limited attention. The aim of this study was to investigate key informants' perception on the impacts of climate variability on the livelihoods of the pastoralists. This study utilized key informant interviews. A total of 22 key informants were interviewed and included veterinary officers, livestock officers, veterinary drugs outlets and other key stakeholders from each of the three Sub-counties of Samburu County. Data from key informants was qualitatively analyzed in themes and sub-themes. A number of observations were made including the changing climate conditions, its effects on the pastoralists and the coping strategies employed. The effects of the changes mentioned included loss of livestock, increase in disease incidences and frequency of migrations, among others. The study recommends Continuous vaccination of livestock to minimize disease recurrence, routine dipping and controlled movement of herds to minimize conflicts. Other recommendations are creating awareness campaigns on disease surveillance during mobility, establishing of grazing management committees, provision of drugs and creation of more livestock treatment stations and vaccination of animals before entry into affected areas.
Pastoralists' perception, Climate variability, Droughts, Floods
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