Climate change has significantly affected economies, livelihoods, and biodiversity globally, with rural communities in Kenya being more severely impacted than urban counterparts. This study investigates the impact of changing rainfall patterns on rural livelihoods in Embu and Garissa counties, selected for their contrasting climatic conditions; Embu as an agricultural hub with higher and more stable rainfall, and Garissa as an arid region dependent on pastoralism. The study aimed to compare rainfall patterns and establish their effects on livelihoods in these counties. Descriptive statistics revealed that Embu receives significantly more rainfall (108.87 mm) than Garissa (28.32 mm), and paired samples analysis confirmed this difference as statistically significant. Regression results showed no significant long-term rainfall trend in either county, highlighting the unpredictability of rainfall. The analysis also found no significant relationship between rainfall and agricultural land area in Embu; however, a moderate but statistically significant relationship was identified between Garissa's average rainfall and grazeland area. These findings suggest that while rainfall affects agricultural and pastoral land use, the variation in rainfall across years plays a role in shaping livelihood strategies, underscoring the need for climate-resilient approaches in rural communities. Key findings revealed the differential impact of rainfall patterns on the livelihoods of these counties emphasizes the importance of region-specific adaptive strategies, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas like Garissa, which face greater vulnerability to climatic shocks.

Climate Change, rural livelihoods, rainfall patterns

environmental engineering

Presentation: oral presentation