The Promise with Sustainable Pastoral Intensification Practices: Evidence from Kenyan Arid and Semi-Arid Areas

This study aims to analyze the impact of the combined adoption of sustainable pastoral intensification practices. Conducted in Kenya’s pastoral counties of Kajiado, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Wajir, this study aims to understand how pastoral intensification practices can help mitigate the adverse effects of climate variability on pastoral livelihoods based on the sustainable livelihood framework. The study employed multistage sampling to obtain a representative sample of 1,053 households. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using a multivariate probit model. The findings indicate that adopting sustainable pastoral intensification practices significantly increase household resilience and income, which is crucial in the face of climate-related stressors such as prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns. Specifically, the combined adoption of these practices results in higher net livestock income compared to nonadoption, thereby enhancing household resilience. Households with larger herds of livestock also experience increased net livestock income, further bolstering their resilience but creating risks of inequalities. Consequently, climate change policy should incorporate training programs for knowledge-sharing and foster research to develop new practices and refine existing ones to strengthen the adaptive capacity of pastoral communities.