The role of social capital in enhancing adaptation to climate and promoting the livelihoods of women farmers in Kakamega Kenya

Abstract

Climate change is a global challenge that negatively affects natural, physical, human, financial and social capital land consequently the livelihoods of men and women who rely on such. In Sub Saharan the effects of climate change are more pronounced due to their overreliance on natural resources. These effects hit women hard since they have limited access to capitals- physical, financial, human and natural necessary to adapt to the effects of climate on their livelihoods. In addition, women rely on small scale rain fed agriculture which is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Despite the disadvantaged position of women in agriculture, women in Kakamega still dominate small scale farming and use social capital to adapt to climate change and enhance their livelihoods. This paper presents how women in Kakamega adapt to climate change effects on their livelihoods –agap that this study bridges. The paper emanates from a qualitative study conducted in Kakamega County on the effects of climate change on women’s livelihoods. The study was anchored on Sustainable livelihoods approach and used inductive qualitative cross-sectional design to help understand women’s livelihoods. The key findings show that women use especially social capital including bonding, bridging and linking both to cope and adapt to the effects of climate change on their livelihoods. Such have made women in Kakamega to sustain their livelihoods.