IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/climat/v118y2013i2p151-165.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can agriculture support climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation and rural livelihoods? insights from Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Elizabeth Bryan
  • Claudia Ringler
  • Barrack Okoba
  • Jawoo Koo
  • Mario Herrero
  • Silvia Silvestri

Abstract

Changes in the agriculture sector are essential to mitigate and adapt to climate change, meet growing food demands, and improve the livelihoods of poor smallholder producers. What agricultural strategies are needed to meet these challenges? To what extent are there synergies among these strategies? This paper examines these issues for smallholder producers in Kenya across several agroecological zones. Several practices emerge as triple wins, supporting climate adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation, and profitability goals. In particular, integrated soil fertility management and improved livestock feeding are shown to provide multiple benefits across all agroecological zones examined. Triple wins of other agricultural practices are limited to specific agroecological zones. Irrigation and soil and water conservation, for example, are essential for adaptation, mitigation, and profitability in arid areas. The results suggest that agricultural investments targeted toward these triple-win strategies will have the greatest payoff in terms of increased resilience of farm and pastoralist households and global climate change mitigation. To reap the benefits of triple-win strategies will require that policymakers, researchers, and practitioners move away from isolated approaches focused on either adaptation or mitigation or rural income generation toward a more holistic assessment of joint strategies as well as their tradeoffs and synergies. Copyright The Author(s) 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth Bryan & Claudia Ringler & Barrack Okoba & Jawoo Koo & Mario Herrero & Silvia Silvestri, 2013. "Can agriculture support climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation and rural livelihoods? insights from Kenya," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 151-165, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:118:y:2013:i:2:p:151-165
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-012-0640-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10584-012-0640-0
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10584-012-0640-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David R. Lee, 2005. "Agricultural Sustainability and Technology Adoption: Issues and Policies for Developing Countries," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(5), pages 1325-1334.
    2. W. Neil Adger & Saleemul Huq & Katrina Brown & Declan Conway & Mike Hulme, 2003. "Adaptation to climate change in the developing world," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 3(3), pages 179-195, July.
    3. Edward Kato & Claudia Ringler & Mahmud Yesuf & Elizabeth Bryan, 2011. "Soil and water conservation technologies: a buffer against production risk in the face of climate change? Insights from the Nile basin in Ethiopia," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 42(5), pages 593-604, September.
    4. Simeon Ehui & John Pender, 2005. "Resource degradation, low agricultural productivity, and poverty in sub‐Saharan Africa: pathways out of the spiral," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(s1), pages 225-242, January.
    5. Strasberg, Paul J. & Jayne, Thomas S. & Yamano, Takashi & Nyoro, James K. & Karanja, Daniel David & Strauss, John, 1999. "Effects of Agricultural Commercialization on Food Crop Input Use and Productivity in Kenya," Food Security International Development Working Papers 54675, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    6. Oecd, 2009. "Climate Change and Africa," OECD Journal: General Papers, OECD Publishing, vol. 2009(1), pages 5-35.
    7. Alexandre Kossoy & Pierre Guigon, "undated". "State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2012," World Bank Publications - Reports 13336, The World Bank Group.
    8. Nyoro, James K. & Wanzala, Maria & Awour, Tom, 2001. "Increasing Kenya's Agricultural Competitiveness: Farm Level Issues," Working Papers 202676, Egerton University, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development.
    9. González-Estrada, Ernesto & Rodriguez, Luis C. & Walen, Valerie K. & Naab, Jesse B. & Koo, Jawoo & Jones, James W. & Herrero, Mario & Thornton, Philip K., 2008. "Carbon sequestration and farm income in West Africa: Identifying best management practices for smallholder agricultural systems in northern Ghana," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 492-502, October.
    10. Oecd, 2012. "Carbon finance in Africa," OECD Journal: General Papers, OECD Publishing, vol. 2010(4), pages 143-162.
    11. You, Liangzhi & Wood, Stanley & Wood-Sichra, Ulrike, 2009. "Generating plausible crop distribution maps for Sub-Saharan Africa using a spatially disaggregated data fusion and optimization approach," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 99(2-3), pages 126-140, February.
    12. repec:wbk:wboper:13335 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Philip Antwi-Agyei & Andrew J. Dougill & Lindsay C. Stringer, 2017. "Assessing Coherence between Sector Policies and Climate Compatible Development: Opportunities for Triple Wins," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Benjamin T. Wood & Lindsay C. Stringer & Andrew J. Dougill & Claire H. Quinn, 2018. "Socially Just Triple-Wins? A Framework for Evaluating the Social Justice Implications of Climate Compatible Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Shikuku, Kelvin M. & Valdivia, Roberto O. & Paul, Birthe K. & Mwongera, Caroline & Winowiecki, Leigh & Läderach, Peter & Herrero, Mario & Silvestri, Silvia, 2017. "Prioritizing climate-smart livestock technologies in rural Tanzania: A minimum data approach," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 204-216.
    4. Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Kumar, Neha, 2014. "Land rights knowledge and conservation in rural Ethiopia: Mind the gender gap:," IFPRI discussion papers 1386, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Shenggen Fan, 2020. "Reflections of Food Policy Evolution over the Last Three Decades," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3), pages 380-394, September.
    6. Khanal, Uttam & Wilson, Clevo & Hoang, Vincent & Lee, Boon, 2015. "Autonomous adaptations to climate change and rice productivity: a case study of the Tanahun district, Nepal," MPRA Paper 106916, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Immaculate Maumoh & Emmanuel H. Yindi, 2021. "Understanding the Farmers, Environmental Citizenship Behaviors Towards Climate Change. The Moderating Mediating Role of Environmental Knowledge and Ascribed Responsibility," Papers 2102.12378, arXiv.org.
    8. Rose Nankya & John W. Mulumba & Francesco Caracciolo & Maria Raimondo & Francesca Schiavello & Elisabetta Gotor & Enoch Kikulwe & Devra I. Jarvis, 2017. "Yield Perceptions, Determinants and Adoption Impact of on Farm Varietal Mixtures for Common Bean and Banana in Uganda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Jenő Zsolt Farkas & Irén Rita Kőszegi & Edit Hoyk & Ádám Szalai, 2023. "Challenges and Future Visions of the Hungarian Livestock Sector from a Rural Development Viewpoint," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, June.
    10. Etwire, Prince Maxwell, 2020. "The impact of climate change on farming system selection in Ghana," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    11. Bryan, Elizabeth & De Pinto, Alessandro & Ringler, Claudia & Asuming-Brempong, Samuel & Bendaoud, Luís Artur & Givá, Nicia & Anh, Dao The & Mai, Nguyen Ngoc & Asenso-Okyere, Kwadwo & Sarpong, Daniel, 2012. "Institutions for agricultural mitigation: Potential and challenges in four countries," CAPRi working papers 107, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nguyen-Anh, Tuan & Hoang-Duc, Chinh & Tiet, Tuyen & Nguyen-Van, Phu & To-The, Nguyen, 2022. "Composite effects of human, natural and social capitals on sustainable food-crop farming in Sub-Saharan Africa," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    2. Munir Ahmed & Ghulam Mustafa & Muhammad Iqbal, 2016. "Impact of Farm Households’ Adaptations to Climate Change on Food Security: Evidence from Different Agro-ecologies of Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 55(4), pages 561-588.
    3. Mintewab Bezabih & Remidius Ruhinduka & Mare Sarr, 2016. "Climate change perception and system of rice intensification (SRI) impact on dispersion and downside risk: a moment approximation approach," GRI Working Papers 256, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
    4. Reed, M.S. & Podesta, G. & Fazey, I. & Geeson, N. & Hessel, R. & Hubacek, K. & Letson, D. & Nainggolan, D. & Prell, C. & Rickenbach, M.G. & Ritsema, C. & Schwilch, G. & Stringer, L.C. & Thomas, A.D., 2013. "Combining analytical frameworks to assess livelihood vulnerability to climate change and analyse adaptation options," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 66-77.
    5. Thornton, Philip K. & Jones, Peter G. & Alagarswamy, Gopal & Andresen, Jeff & Herrero, Mario, 2010. "Adapting to climate change: Agricultural system and household impacts in East Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 73-82, February.
    6. Ndiritu, S. Wagura & Kassie, Menale & Shiferaw, Bekele, 2014. "Are there systematic gender differences in the adoption of sustainable agricultural intensification practices? Evidence from Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(P1), pages 117-127.
    7. Jin, Shaoze & Zhang, Lijuan & Min, Shi, 2021. "Regional Climate Extremes and Farmer’s Perception: Impact on Acceptance of Environmentally-Friendly Rubber Plantations in Southwest China," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 314949, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Vandercasteelen, Joachim & Dereje, Mekdim & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2016. "Row planting teff in Ethiopia: Impact on farm-level profitability and labor allocation," ESSP working papers 92, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Jeannie Sowers & Avner Vengosh & Erika Weinthal, 2011. "Climate change, water resources, and the politics of adaptation in the Middle East and North Africa," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 599-627, February.
    10. Hoa Dang & Elton Li & Johan Bruwer & Ian Nuberg, 2014. "Farmers’ perceptions of climate variability and barriers to adaptation: lessons learned from an exploratory study in Vietnam," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 531-548, June.
    11. Asante Gyamerah, Samuel & Ngare, Philip & Ikpe, Dennis, 2018. "A Levy Regime-Switching Temperature Dynamics Model for Weather Derivatives," MPRA Paper 89680, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Jul 2018.
    12. Gebregziabher, Gebrehaweria & Rebelo, Lisa-Maria & Notenbaert, A. & Ergano, K. & Abebe, Yenenesh, 2013. "Determinants of adoption of rainwater management technologies among farm households in the Nile River Basin," IWMI Reports 201008, International Water Management Institute.
    13. Zhou, Li & Turvey, Calum G., 2014. "Climate change, adaptation and China's grain production," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 72-89.
    14. Lim, Krisha & Wichmann, Bruno & Luckert, Martin, 2021. "Adaptation, spatial effects, and targeting: Evidence from Africa and Asia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    15. Boris O. K. Lokonon & Aly A. Mbaye, 2018. "Climate change and adoption of sustainable land management practices in the Niger basin of Benin," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(1), pages 42-53, February.
    16. Julius Manda & Arega D. Alene & Cornelis Gardebroek & Menale Kassie & Gelson Tembo, 2016. "Adoption and Impacts of Sustainable Agricultural Practices on Maize Yields and Incomes: Evidence from Rural Zambia," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(1), pages 130-153, February.
    17. Joachim Vandercasteelen & Mekdim Dereje & Bart Minten & Alemayehu Seyoum Taffesse, 2018. "Labour, profitability and gender impacts of adopting row planting in Ethiopia," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 45(4), pages 471-503.
    18. Thornton, P.K. & van de Steeg, J. & Notenbaert, A. & Herrero, M., 2009. "The impacts of climate change on livestock and livestock systems in developing countries: A review of what we know and what we need to know," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 113-127, July.
    19. Yongdeng Lei & Jing’ai Wang & Yaojie Yue & Hongjian Zhou & Weixia Yin, 2014. "Rethinking the relationships of vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation from a disaster risk perspective," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 70(1), pages 609-627, January.
    20. Giuseppe Maggio & Marina Mastrorillo & Nicholas J. Sitko, 2022. "Adapting to High Temperatures: Effect of Farm Practices and Their Adoption Duration on Total Value of Crop Production in Uganda," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(1), pages 385-403, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:118:y:2013:i:2:p:151-165. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.