■Arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) in East Africa are vulnerable to recurrent climate-related shocks, including droughts and floods. ■Livelihood diversification is recognized as an effective strategy for reducing the impact of various shocks and mitigating associated risks. ■A case study from Kenya shows a higher degree of livelihood diversification among households that participated in a Farmer Field School (FFS)—an agricultural extension approach emphasizing farmers’ empowerment—compared to similar households that did not participate. ■Furthermore, households with more diversified livelihoods experienced lower levels of loss from recent droughts and crop losses from pests and diseases compared to those with similar characteristics, apart from fewer livelihood options. ■The case study demonstrates the importance of empowering rural households to make adaptive decisions, thereby enhancing resilience against climate-related shocks. ■The study also highlights the need for more studies on the effects of FFS on livelihood diversification, as well as comparative analyses of alternative livelihood strategies across various contexts and scenarios.
Sato et al. (2025) studied this question.