Exploration of Knowledge, Perception and Adaptation Strategies of the Mbita Fisher Community to CC/ CV

Decreasing livelihoods of fishers’ communities is blamed on consequences of global warming and climate change impacts. Food security and livelihoods of the world’s 36 million fishers and the nearly 1.5 billion consumers rely on fish for their dietary animal protein. Past studies concentrated on fisher communities and climate variability in marine waters and oceans; mainly investigating the impact of climate variability on fish distribution and production. Limited research has addressed the interaction between impacts of climate change on the fishing activities on inland and fresh waters such as in Lake Victoria and how the fishers are coping and adapting. This article discussion focuses on Lake Victoria shore location of Mbita where the livelihood activity of local community is fishing. The interactive field study was guided by these two research objectives to: Determine the fishers’ knowledge and perception of climate change and variability in Mbita sub-county. Establish the effect of gender in climate change adaptive activities among the Mbita county fishers. The study used a constructivist epistemology and the mixed methods research design to help it achieve its findings. Yamane’s formula (1964) is used to get the sample size of 388 respondents from a population of 13191 fishers. Primary data was collected through use of questionnaires, interview schedules for KII and FGDs. Secondary data collection was collected through reviewing of documented information, such as the fish catch data and climate (temperature/rainfall data) of Mbita for the last 30 years data to get the trend of these elements and to determine climate variability and change. Content validity of the instrument was done through experts; supervisors. Reliability was attained through test and re-test Data analysis was accomplished through use of computer based software (SPSS). Presentation was done in descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings were:-there was gender discrimination in access and control of key fishing resources which support adaptive activities that makes women more vulnerable to CC and CCV hazards and disasters. The study found that majority fishers had clear perception of CC but only 46% had knowledge of CC. The fishers relied more on indigenous knowledge and meteorological forecasts were too technical and considered irrelevant. The study further found that erratic variations in temperatures and rainfall were greatest stressors with statistical significant p-value = of 0.02. Wet seasons destroyed infrastructure, increased weather-borne diseases and endangered the fishers’ lives while dry and hot season resulted in insufficient fish catches and near starvation food consumption. Statistically loss life and access to food were significant at p-value of 0.001 and p-value of 0.000 respectively. The study found that CCA requires access and control of factors of production which were traditionally under the control of male fishers making women more vulnerable and susceptible to surviving through chamas and table banking activities. Statistically access to and control was significant to adaptation at p-value of 0.000. The study concluded that lack of alternative livelihood opportunities/options is the major constraints to adaptation for people living in the Lake Victoria region escalated with limitation of skills outside fishing industry, limitation of other employable professional skills including lack of capital. The study recommends a transdiciplinary consientization of adaptive strategies which can translate into flexible and sustainable CCA gender inclusive livelihood activities. Future research should explore participatory action research on environmental influences affecting CCA by comparing findings across other beaches.