Socio-economic determinants of livelihood vulnerability to rainfall variability in semi-arid Kenya

Rain-fed crop farming in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) in sub-Saharan Africa has been severely affected by rainfall variability. The objective of this study was to identify socio-economic factors exacerbating the effects of rainfall variability on livelihoods of households in the semi-arid lands of Kenya. A survey was conducted in Kitui South sub-County in southeastern Kenya, using a semi-structured questionnaire, administered to a sample of 311 crop farming households. The study established that gender, education level, household size, income, size of land cultivated and income sources had significant contribution to households’ vulnerability to rainfall variability. Based on the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI), it was revealed that households were generally vulnerable thus the need for interventions targeting rainfall variability effects to improve livelihoods of communities in the ASALs of Kenya. Key words: Education, gender, Kenya, livelihood vulnerability index, rainfall variability