Rockefeller convening presentation by Egerton's Prof. Lelo

1. CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND
AFRICAN AGRICULTURE GRANTEE CONVENING
24-25 February 2011
Project Name: Building Adaptation Capacities for Climate
Change in Kenya Through Participatory Research, Training
and Outreach Actions (CAPro)
Grantee : Egerton University
Presenter : Francis Lelo
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2. Brief Background of the Institution
• Egerton University was started as an Agricultural College
in 1939
• The institution became a fully fledged University in 1987,
and has continued to be a centre of excellence in
Agricultural training, Research and Outreach.
• The University offers diverse programmes in 8 faculties
including Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Arts,
Science, Environmental Studies, Engineering, and Health
Sciences.
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3. Brief Background of the Institution
• The main campus is located in Nakuru County, on the
Eastern slopes of Mau forest in the Rift Valley Province of
Kenya.
• It has three University Colleges, namely Kisii, Chuka and
Laikipia with a combined student population exceeding
16,000 and academic staff of over 500.
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4. Brief Background of the Institution
• Previous/ ongoing collaborative research
– PAPPA (Policy Analysis for Participatory Poverty
Alleviation),
– SUMAWA (Sustainable Management of Watersheds)
– CMAAE (Collaborative Masters in Agriculture and Applied
Economics) &
– AICM (Agricultural Information and Communication
Management).
• The university hosted an international stakeholders’
conference on climate change adaptation in Africa from
24th to 28th May 2010 under the theme: Pastoralism and
Climate Change Adaptation in Africa
(http://ccaa.iccamnet.org/index.html).
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5. Brief Background of the Institution
• Egerton University is also renowned for its expertise in
participatory research approaches, with more than 20
years experience working with communities in Eastern
and Central Africa
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6. CAPro Objectives
1. To evaluate indigenous/traditional climate change
mitigating and adaptation strategies currently used by
diverse Kenyan farming and pastoral communities, with
a view of identifying the best bets.
2. To evaluate emerging climate change adaptation
technologies with a view of identifying those that are
appropriate to the farmers’ circumstances
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7. CAPro Objectives
3. To build capacity on climate change adaptation strategies
among extension providers, agro-dealers, and farmers
4. To strengthen community outreach actions on climate
change adaptation strategies
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8. Key Activities Related to the Grant
• Team Meetings
- Five meetings on July 15, September 15 and December
8, 2010, Jan 10 (with Peter and Roger) and Jan 24, 2011
in addition to regular email and telephone
communications.
•
• Preliminary visits to all five study sites
– Nakuru -Kajiado -Mbeere,
– Kilifi & - Bungoma
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10. Key Activities Related to the Grant
– General geographical description of the area
– Organizations dealing with climate change research/
agenda. These included governmental, NGO, CBOs
their contact information and activities.
– National and regional centers dealing with climate
change in Ministry of Environment,Office of the Prime
Minister
– Availability of weather information
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11. Key Activities Related to the Grant
– Empirical data generated in the district on climate
adaptation e.g. research/project reports, policy briefs,
– Availability of climate information and service
providers
– Possible venues for inception meetings
– Possible locations for field demonstrations to be based
in different AEZs within the districts.
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12. Key Activities Related to the Grant
• Selection of MSc students’
Four students – 2 females and 2 males
• One –day workshop to induct selected MSc students
held on December 22, 2010
• Desktop review of climate change activities and
information in the region and beyond has been done
• Equipments
Vehicle, laptops, LCD, GPS and other materials ordered
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13. Highlight on the Progress to date
• Activities for quarter 1 and 2 have all been started and
most of them are ongoing
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14. Early Findings (optional)
• Communities have varied perceptions about climate
change
• The issue of climate change has become topical
• Rainfall fluctuations are regarded as “climate change”
• Climate data may be available but is scattered
• Some old institutions had weather stations but most of
them have been abandoned and are in state of disrepair
•
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15. Next steps
• Comprehensive sampling protocols to be used in all five
districts, including questionnaire design
• Stakeholder / climate change awareness meetings in all
five districts
• Access to climatological data –both rainfall and
temperature
• Availing climate change to end users – how to package
the information gathered.
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16. Key Challenges
• Scattered sites - logistical problems
• Integrating Faculty regulations into CAPro objectives and deadlines
• Procurement procedures time consuming
• Hiking of prices between ordering and delivery
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17. Lessons Learnt
• Preliminary visits indicate that there is little empirical data
in the districts and the current project(s) will contribute
towards filling this gap
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18. Emerging Opportunities for Collaboration
Initiated discussions with Walker Institute (UK) for
possible establishment of similar Centre in Egerton
University
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