Climate Change and Sustainable Livelihoods Among Pastoralists in Isinya Sub County, Kajiado County

In the 21 st century, climate change has become global environmental issue of concern. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of climate change on sustainable livelihoods among pastoralists Isinya Sub-County, Kajiado County, Kenya. The study was guided by adaptive theory. A descriptive research design, combining qualitative and quantitative methods was used, targeting 63 pastoral community using cluster sampling, simple-random sampling, purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. Data was collected using a fact-sheet questionnaire, structured interview and Focus Group Discussions and analysis done using descriptive statistics. The study established that climate change has had led to increased livestock pests/diseases, land demarcations affecting livestock migration corridors, diminishing pasture fueling migration and conflicts due to competition for scarce pasture. The study concluded that climate change affected sustainable livelihoods among pastoralists in Isinya Sub-County in Kajiado County. It recommended early warning system for drought, securing pastoral land tenure and promoting inclusive approaches to natural resource management as well as strengthening pastoralists' resilience and adaptation capacities by enhancing food security, healthcare facilities and education. Key words: Climate change, Pastoralism, Sustainable livelihoods, Adaptation