Smallholder Innovation for Resilience (SIFOR) : Qualitative Baseline Study, Mijikenda Community, Kenyan Coast

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a qualitative baseline study on the farming systems, livelihoods, crop varieties, forest use and indigenous knowledge and practices of the Mijikenda community in the coastal region of Kenya, and the trends over the last 30 years. It explores the climatic changes and challenges faced by coastal communities and ways of improving their adaptive capacity through use of existing indigenous knowledge, systems and practices. The study aimed to identify and disseminate traditional knowledge-based innovations that enhance productivity, including traditional crop varieties with important traits such as drought and pest resistance, traditional farming practices and climate change response strategies. It also sought to understand the factors or conditions that promote innovation including traditional cultural practices and community institutions. The survey covered the Giriama, Chonyi, Rabai, Digo and Duruma sub-tribes which form part of the wider Mijikenda community. The cultural practices of the Mijikenda communities are similar although with slight variations. While the Giriama are the most traditional, the other four have some dilutions to their traditional culture and this provided a basis for comparison of results. Literature review, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews were used to collect data. A total of 155 households were interviewed in 31 villages. One FGD meeting was held in each of the five communities with key informants comprising Kaya elders, herbalists, farmers and community leaders. The main effects of climate change highlighted include reduced crop production due to reduced rainfall, high incidences of pests and diseases for crops and livestock, reduced soil fertility, and more extreme weather. In all the communities, rainfall has significantly declined and become more erratic and unpredictable, resulting in longer dry spells and droughts and a considerable decline in crop productivity. However, the five communities have come up with several adaptations and innovations in response to these climate change effects. Although cultural values and traditional knowledge have become weaker in the last 30 years, the communities have retained some traditional practices that enhance productivity and complemented these with modern technologies. Many farmers have adopted faster maturing modern varieties in response to reduced water, and this has been a key reason for the loss of traditional varieties in some cases. However, one innovation has been to plant different crop varieties together – improved, hybrid and traditional – especially for maize and cassava, to reduce the risk of crop failure. The traditional varieties usually take longer to mature but can tolerate pest, disease and water stress, while the modern varieties mature fast but cannot tolerate these stresses. Frequent incidences of hunger and drought have necessitated a switch from maize to cassava as a major crop in all the Mijikenda communities. Livestock diseases have also got worse and traditional knowledge has provided the basis for developing some effective treatments for chickens and cattle (e.g. using dung from donkeys that graze in the wild). The communities have also domesticated a number of wild forest plants on farm to generate income in response to reduced crop productivity – e.g. fruit trees, and a tree with medicinal value. Farmers obtained the propagation material from the forest and raise the seedlings before transplanting them. They came up with propagation protocols after trying several methods, and now know plants that can be propagated using cuttings, seeds and wildings. Other innovations include a method of planting coconut seeds that prevents termite attacks, use of nitrogen fixing plants, agroforestry and uprooting of deep rooting cassava to enhance soil nutrients, and the discovery that using pruned cassava tops as planting materials produces early maturing and highly productive cassava. In many cases, local community organizations, such as farmers’ and women’s groups and the kaya elders’ council have been important factors contributing to the innovations by promoting the sharing of knowledge and innovations, and the maintenance of traditional knowledge and practices. The Rabai community has established a cultural village to increase income and this is also helping to strengthen traditional practices and has allowed the community to network through exchange of planting materials of traditional crops which are grown in the cultural village. However capacity building and further discussion is needed with the communities on the concept of ‘biocultural innovation’ and how best communities can enhance these innovations to increase their resilience to climate change.