Pastoral Households’ Preferences for Climate-Smart Agribusiness and Peacebuilding Interventions in Kenya: Best–Worst Scaling (BWS) Approach

This study examines pastoral households’ preferences for climate-smart agribusiness (CSA) interventions and their implications for peacebuilding in Kenya's North Rift region. Climate variability has intensified conflicts over land, water, and livestock, threatening livelihoods and social cohesion. In this context, CSA interventions, including livelihood diversification, sustainable resource management, livestock commercialization, capacity development, and insurance, offer pathways to link climate adaptation with peacebuilding. Using data from 499 pastoral households, the study applies best–worst scaling and latent class modeling to identify preferences for nine CSA interventions and distinct household segments. Results show that training youth and women in agribusiness and promoting drought-tolerant crops are the most preferred interventions, while insurance options are least preferred. Literacy, market access, extension services, and credit availability significantly shape household preferences, reflecting structural inequalities. The findings suggest that context-specific CSA interventions can strengthen livelihoods, reduce competition over scarce resources, and enhance social cohesion, thereby contributing to climate resilience and peacebuilding when aligned with local priorities and institutional realities.