Relationship between farmers perception on climate change and cowpea (vigna unguiculata) in Mwania watershed, Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Smallholder agricultural production in Kenya is largely dependent on climatic factors, and thus, climate change and variability will continue to have significant impacts on national food production. As is evident this is already presenting a major challenge for resource-poor farmers depending mainly on rain-fed agriculture especially in the Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASAL). This study sought to contribute to climate change and crop production research in the dry lands by investigating the effects of various climatic factors on the cultivation of cowpea in Mwania watershed. A descriptive research design was adopted. Data on climatic parameters as well as the cowpeas production were obtained from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). Data obtained were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that 95.45% of the sampled farmers indicated that the purposes of cultivating cowpeas were for household food security while 4.55% of the respondents grew the crop as a source of income. The farmers’ perception of climate change and effects on cowpeas production in the region were analysed. 60.38% of the respondents observed that the amount of rainfall received had reduced, and another 60.38% noted that the temperatures had increased and that it was much hotter while 11.32% reported new incidences of pests and diseases while 83.02% agreed that the rate of pests and diseases rates had increased. The regression results revealed that cowpeas production and rainfall had a positive and significant relationship while it was also established that a negative correlation existed between temperature and cowpeas yields. Further, the results showed a negative correlation between cowpeas yields and pest and diseases. The study recommends that farmers should prepare for variations in rainfall by harvesting rainwater into tanks, thus ensuring that they have a substantial amount of water stored up to be in a better position to mitigate the effects of rainfall variations. It also recommends that agricultural research institutions should develop drought resistant cowpeas as this would help curb the reduction of yields because of changes in rainfall amounts. It further also recommends that cowpeas varieties that are resistant to extreme temperatures and varieties that are resistant to pest and diseases attack should be developed as this will help avert the adverse impacts of climatic factors as well as the negative effects pest and diseases have on cowpeas yields.