Adapting East African ecosystems and productive systems to climate change

Abstract

Climate change is affecting bio-physical systems worldwide. Variabilities in precipitation is altering water budgets and affecting the amounts and quality of water available for growth and support of life. Increasing temperatures are reducing the ability of ecosystems to retain water for growth. Soils are degrading as they loose water and microbial biodiversity. The spatial extent and intensity of these effects vary geographically from one place to another depending on location in the global atmospheric systems, regional settings on: land cover, land use, topography and weather patterns. The two most important climate stressors are changes in rainfall and temperature For quite some time the focus on climate change issues has been vulnerability assessments to determine the areas which are more at risk from impacts of climate change. Recently however, there is a shift from vulnerability to adaptation. The shift needs metrics of impacts that focus on the direct effects on community or household assets: what is at risk and how much is potentially lost. On the other hand adaptation solutions need to relate to the livelihood assets capitals that characterize the [Sustainable Livelihoods Approach]. Moving the debate from vulnerability assessments to adaptation requires the application of different set of tools and methodologies that allow for the integration of various pieces of information and concerns. The shift from vulnerability to adaptation requires the design and implementation of appropriate channels for linking data and information to the decision/policy making process.