Abstract:
For many decades now, drought in the Horn of
Africa has had devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods
of the pastoralist communities. This study was conducted with
a view to analyze changes in drought trends and effectiveness
of social safety-nets on post-drought recovery of household in
Moyale sub-county, Marsabit County, Kenya. The study
adopted cross-sectional survey and evaluation research
design. The sample size for the study was 385 households.
Study population consisted of Heads of households,
community leaders, managers of NGOs, chiefs, and county
drought coordinators in Moyale sub-county. Data was
collected using household questionnaire, Key informant
interviews, and focus group discussion. Data were analyzed
using SPSS for frequencies and proportions followed by Chi square test at p = 0.05. Socio-economic characteristic show
household heads are mainly men (60.8%), community
regarded marriage highly (74%) and no formal education
(57.9%). On drought experience and impact, majority of
people in the area have experienced drought (99%); drought
of 2006 and 2011/12 was the most remembered due to its
impact (41%) and drought characteristics was severe and
extreme (65%). The study found out that, as the drought
intervals become shorter, the drought intensity was increasing
and its impact was becoming more severe. The study also
found out that social safety-nets empowered women (50.9%),
strengthened family relations (60%) and the benefitted
household had enough food (73%) to overcome drought.
However, the study reported that social safety-nets did not
help in school enrolment or retention (50.9%) of pupils during
the time of drought. The study recommends that robust
drought mitigative measures should be put in place that will
help in reducing the shock on people and their livelihoods. The
study also recommended that support provided through
monetary terms to beneficiaries targeted in safety-nets scheme
should be enhanced and any adjustment made for future cash
programme design should be guided by the existing local
Household Minimum Expenditure Baskets. Finally, the study
recommended that more intervention of enhancing school
retention at the time drought should be implemented as this
will form basis for stronger community resilience and
sustained livelihoods.
