Presented by Prof. Shem O. Wandiga Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation

1. Increasing Community Resilience to Drought in Sakai sub-location, Kisau Division ofMakueni District Presented by Prof. Shem O. Wandiga Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Utalii House, Utalii Street, Room 802 P.O. Box 42792-00100, Nairobi E-mail: sowandiga@iconnect.co.ke wandigas@uonbi.ac.ke

2. Project Objectives are: • To reduce community vulnerability to drought exacerbated by climate variability and change in the Makueni District by implementing a field demonstration project to produce tangible benefits to the community and • 2) to gather information from the field and relate it to the information needs for policy makers in order to inform relevant policies, in particular the policies on: Environment and Development; Natural Resources Management; National Disaster Management and Sustainable Development of Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL).

3. The Importance of adaptation

4. Impact model (with and without adaptation)

5. Field Implementation Partnership: • The field level projects will be undertaken in partnership with the ongoing Arid Lands Resources Management Programme (ALRMP) Activities on drought preparedness in rainfed marginal agricultural zone of Sakai sub-location, Kisau Division of Makueni district.

6. The following specific field activities will be carried out: • Needs and priorities assessment and rapid vulnerability assessment at community level; identify and confirm support by community involved in implementation of an existing drought management project; • Development of database using the collected Arid Lands Early Warning data in Makueni District; • Matching information needs at the policy level with community needs to scope field activities andpriorities. The project will seek to include: increased soil moisture content, improved timing of agricultural operations, improved seed quality and variety, improved agricultural production, improved use of climate and weather information among others.

7. Activities Contd. • Implement awareness creation together with Arid Lands projects on earth and sand dams and agricultural production in the sub-location; • Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation measures identified; • Up-Scaling of successful policy option at the district level; • Preparation of recommendations for the improvement of national policy will contribute to success of addressing issues at the community level.

8. Relevant project stakeholders

9. Project outcome will be: • Demonstration of what can be done and how it is done at the field level to increase resilience to climate change • Demonstration of poverty reduction activities and improvement of livelihoods at the local level, and provision of global environmental benefits at the national/regional level. • Improvement of Policy Paper based on identified needs (above) and demonstration of benefits from field project; and • Identification of policy implementation plan, challenges, barriers, and successful channels for implementation. • In addition to the national policy recommendations, the project will directly benefit the pilot communities in improving their resilience to drought.