ECOSYSTEM-BASED ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE: A CASE OF MOUNT ELGON FOREST ECOSYSTEM, TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is a nature- based and cost effective strategy that uses biodiversity and ecosystem services to adapt to climate change impacts. While there is some evidence of climate change and its impact in the study area, there is no comprehensive study that has been conducted to determine the extent to which the Mt. Elgon ecosystem and its role in the provisioning of goods and services can be integrated into local climate change adaptation policies, programmes and plans. This study therefore investigated how the Mt. Elgon forest can within the EbA context be best integrated and incorporated into national, local and sectoral plans to reduce vulnerability of the immediate, downstream and riparian communities to climate change-induced impacts in the Mt. Elgon Ecosystem. The specific objectives that guided this research included finding out existing climate change related vulnerabilities, identifying the existing climate change adaptation interventions, establishing existing natural resource governance regimes influencing EbA, and, to establish the existing capacity for Ecosystem-based adaptation in the Mt. Elgon Ecosystem. The study utilized the tragedy of the commons and the evolution theories as important guides for designing resource usage plans. It also used the Human Ecological Approach concept to help in better understanding the complex link between climate change, ecosystem services and livelihoods. Finally, the Regional Planning concept guided this research on how sub-national climate change adaptation decisions can be integrated into policies, programmes and plans of devolved governance systems. To accomplish this, 405 households were sampled from the study area and responses elicited from them. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, interviews, FGDs, and direct observation. Results indicated that the majority (90.6%) of households grow maize as compared to other food crops. Farming of this food crop doubled up as the main source of household income to many (47.4%) households making the study area a specialty economy. A larger percentage (63.4%) of respondents noticed a good representation of sectoral institutions responsible for the management of the individual natural resources, though a majority (77%) of these respondents singled an uncoordinated approach in natural resource management as being a major contributor to the deteriorating ecosystem health. Majority (73.2%) of government and civil society respondents associate this problem with conflicting sectoral mandates. These must be addressed in order to increase ecosystem health that eventually will lead to enhanced EbA services in the study area. The overall conclusion is that EbA approach can be a viable coping and adaptation strategy in the Mt. Elgon ecosystem if only the health of the Mt. Elgon’s biodiversity can be assured. There is need to support the integration of EbA into the local climate change adaptation plans, programmes and policies.