Abstract:
Africa is under pressure from climate stresses and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change. In Kenya, agriculture is the backbone of the economy making it an important contributor to
food security of rural households. Currently crop productivity is being affected by continued climate
variations and decline in soil fertility. Adaptation to climate change requires to be given high and
urgent priority for sustainable crop production. A study was conducted in Mavuria ward, Mbeere
South Sub-County, Embu County to evaluate the effects of climate change adaptation on crop
production. The study used both descriptive and experimental research designs. The primary data
on adaptation measures was collected from farmers and institutions using questionnaires. In the
data analysis, descriptive statistics were used to organize the climate data and that of the
respondents into frequencies. Further, a Pearson correlation test was done to determine the relationship between farmer and institutional based mechanisms on adaptation to climate change
at α=0.05. The main adaptation mechanisms identified were soil fertility improvement, soil and
water conservation, early planting, pest and disease control, provision of certified seeds, and
awareness creation. In view of these findings, the study recommends continuous implementation
of these measures that can help strengthen farmers and institutional adaptation mechanisms
towards climate change for improved crop production.
