Abstract

Maasai pastoralists have used indigenous weather forecasting as tool for decision making, a knowledge passed down through generation. For instance, local knowledge indicators are used to determine onset of rainfall, predict drought and dry spells. It is important to understand the use of traditional weather forecasting among the Maasai pastoralist for effective climate change adaptation planning among pastoralist in Kenya. This study describes the traditional weather forecasting methods that Maasai pastoralists in Kajiado county Kenya use for pastoral planning and developing indigenous coping strategies to climate extremes. The study identified coping strategies to drought in semi-arid region of Kajiado Kenya. Data were collected through household interviews using questionnaire and focus group discussion. A total of 305 households were interviewed for the study, including four focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted separately with gender parity (of eight men and eight women) from the sampled villages. This study shows that Maasai communities keep adequate mental records of extreme climatic events and they have names for years of extreme drought for easy remembrance. The result shows that Maasai pastoralists have useful information on climatic trends, rainfall pattern and drought prediction. The various signs used by Maasai communities in Kajiado to forecast rainfall include the phenological stage of plants, movement of ants, Pattern of stars in the night and the shape of the moon, animal intestine and restlessness of animals. This study indicates that Maasai communities possess a good understanding of weather pattern of the region and they have developed coping strategies against extreme weather conditions. The communities are important stakeholders in adaptation planning and understanding their perception about extreme weather event is key in climate adaptation planning.

Keywords: Maasai pastoralist, Indigenous knowledge, Drought, Climate extremes, Coping strategies