This document summarizes research on how indigenous Mijikenda communities in Kenya's coastal region are adapting to climate change through biocultural innovations. It finds that the communities are experiencing heavy impacts from climate change like changing rainfall and temperature patterns. They are adapting by [1] conserving traditional crop varieties, livestock breeds, and forest genetic resources that are resilient to drought and pests; [2] relying more on livestock products and indigenous knowledge for food security and treating illnesses; and [3] collaboratively conserving agrobiodiversity through seed exchanges, crop diversification, and cultural village initiatives.

1. BIOCULTURAL INNOVATIONS FOR ADAPTATION TO
CLIMATE CHANGE: MIJIKENDA COMMUNITY,
KENYA COAST
CGRFA-15 Side Event, Rome, Italy
22nd January 2015
C. Wekesa, Coordinator, SIFOR-Kenya

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• 5 indigenous coastal
communities in Kwale &
Kilifi counties.
• Giriama, Digo, Rabai,
Duruma & Chonyi (control)
• 31 villages – low lying 12-
319 m.a.s.l.
• Impacts of climate change
heavy - due low altitude.
• Communities - small scale
farmers but climate
change is threat to
sustainable livelihoods.

3. IS THE CLIMATE CHANGING?
0 20 40 60 80
Rainfall
Temperature (Summer/winter)
Wind strengh
Sun shine
River water flow
Drought
Flood
Insects/Pests
Diseases (Animal & crop)
Extreme whether
Response (%)
Weatherevents
% of HHs observing changes

4. TRENDS IN GROWING OF LANDRACES
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120% Cassava
Maize
Peanut
Potatoes
Pulses
Vegetables
Wheat
Cassava
Maize
Potatoes
Pulses
Rice
Spices
Vegetables
Cassava
Maize
Potatoes
Pulses
Rice
Vegetables
2003 2008 2012
Response
Crop/year
Chonyi Digo Duruma Giriama Rabai

5. DRIVERS FOR CHANGE IN TRENDS, LANDRACES
Driver for change Frequency Response (%)
Risk reduction 22 7.7
Food security 192 66.9
Ease access 2 0.7
To avoid traditional variety 1 0.3
Diversification 32 11.1
To avoid purchasing food from the market 12 4.2
Culture 5 1.7
Depends on the others 2 0.7
Increase production 15 5.2
Little rainfall 2 0.7
Self-consumption 2 0.7
Total 287 100.0

6. ROLE OF TRADITIONAL CROP VARIETIES IN
ADAPTATION/RESILIENCE
Site Crop
Response (%)
Drought and
pests
resistant
Short time to
mature
Tolerates
low rainfall
Higher
production
Seeds easily
stored and
available
Rabai Cassava 25.0 20.0 - 64.8 -
Cowpeas 41.7 20.0 - 97.0 -
Maize 33.3 46.7 - 33.7 -
Sweet potatoes 0.0 0.0 - 2.2 -
Digo Maize 33.3 50.0 50.0 34.3 57.5
Cassava 48.1 50.0 0.0 5.7 12.5
Cowpeas 14.8 0.0 25.0 57.1 25.0
Green grams 0.0 0.0 25.0 0.0 0.0
Pumpkin 3.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5
Sweet potatoes 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.9 0.0
Chonyi Cassava 51.0 20.0 0.0 100.0 -
Cowpeas 16.3 10.0 100.0 2.7 -
Green grams 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -
Maize 28.6 70.0 0.0 81.1 -
Giriama Cassava 6.7 37.0 0.0 13.3 -
Cowpeas 13.3 37.0 100.0 13.4 -
Maize 80.0 14.8 0.0 53.3 -
Duruma Cassava 0.0 - - 18.2 -
Cowpeas 7.4 - - 0.0 -

7. ROLE OF LIVESTOCK IN ADAPTATION &
RESILIENCE
• Increased reliance on
livestock products for
food – frequent crop
failure.
• Communities keep
indigenous/local
breeds – tolerant to
drought and diseases.
• Cattle most popular,
provides multiple
products and services.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Chonyi Digo Duruma Giriama Rabai
Selfconsumptionoflivestock(%)
Site
2003 2008 2012
0
100
200
300
400
500
Chicken Cow Duck Goat Pig Sheep
Averageannualincome(USD)
Livestock
Chonyi Digo Duruma Giriama Rabai

8. ROLE OF FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES IN
ADAPTATION/RESILIENCE
• Seeds of only10% of the
world’s wild plants/trees are
conserved in seed banks.
• Some of these plants/trees are
used for NTFPs e.g. food and
herbal medicine.
• CC triggers increased
incidences of pests and
diseases for crops, livestock
and humans.
• Communities use combinations
of extracts of various plants to
control/treat these diseases.
• Food from plants/trees have
nutritive value to prevent
diseases/strengthen immunity.
Community
nursery, Rabai
Herbal grove,
Giriama

9. ROLE OF TK IN ADAPTATION/RESILIENCE
Adaptation strategy
Response (%)
Rabai Digo Chonyi Giriama Duruma
Traditional prayers and sacrifices 88.2 2.9 0.0 8.8 0.0
Treating animals with combination of
herbs and keeping less animals
36.7 1.7 43.3 0.8 17.5
Use of traditional bio-pesticides to
control crop pests
23.7 8.8 29.4 4.6 33.5
Domestication of wild food plants 0.7 21.1 2.0 35.4 40.8
Proper timing of rains 4.9 0.0 19.5 0.0 75.6
Planting early maturing and drought
resistant crop varieties
0.0 0.0 92.6 0.0 7.4
Traditional huts thatched with Makuti 0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
Cultivating big portions of land to
reduce risk
0.0 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
Adoption of tree farming in farms 20.0 0.0 60.0 0.0 20.0
Engaging in business as alternative to
farming (value addition of TK based
products)
55.0 5.0 15.0 15.0 10.0
Water pan excavation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0

10. HOW ARE COMMUNITIES CONSERVING
AGROBIODIVERSITY?
Conservation strategy Site
Mean number of
farmers that have
adopted it
Free seed exchanges Digo 17.2
Giriama 3.0
Irrigation of crops Digo 16.0
Giriama 1.0
Protection of crops in seed banks or
preservation areas
Rabai 1.0
Domestication of wild food plants Digo 10.0
Use of modified traditional farming tools
Rabai 15.3
Digo 4.0
Re-introduction of traditional crops Digo 15.6
Re-introduction of traditional farming methods Giriama 4.0
Digo 10.2
Improved/more resilient crop varieties Rabai 8.8

11. RABAI CULTURAL VILLAGE
• Established February 2013 to
conserve Rabai culture & Kaya
forests.
• Traditional ceremonies.
• Traditional products/artifacts.
• Conservation of Kaya forest
(Kaya elders’ regulate resource
use through rules and
regulations – weekly court to
arbitrate environmental
conflicts, taboos, beliefs,
norms).
• Traditional farming practices
(seed bank for local varieties).
• Ecotourism (Dr. Krapf
Memorial Museum, fauna &
flora)
Sweet
potatoes
Basketry

12. NETWORKING
• Information sharing.
• Exchange of planting
materials.
• Influence policy
makers (county and
national government
level).
Local
MP

13. THANK YOU!