Engendering Climate-Smart Agriculture in Mt. Kenya East: How Farmer Demographics Shape Smallholder Adoption

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a promising strategy for tackling the challenges of agricultural productivity, resilience, and climate change mitigation. However, its adoption among smallholder farmers in the Mt. Kenya East region has remained low and uneven due to socio-economic barriers. This study examined demographic predictors influencing CSA adoption in Mukothima Ward, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya, focusing on household characteristics, farmland attributes, and economic and social capital. A mixed-methods design was used, integrating quantitative and qualitative data from a household survey of 418 respondents and six focus group discussions, respectively. The findings revealed that land size, group membership, access to credit, and being a lead farmer were significant predictors of CSA adoption. Male-headed households were more likely to adopt capital-intensive CSA practices, while female-headed households, youth, and farmers with disabilities faced adoption barriers. Social capital, particularly community self-help groups, emerged as a crucial enabler of CSA adoption, mitigating systemic barriers such as limited credit and access to extension services. The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to promote CSA adoption in climate-vulnerable areas. Recommendations include land tenure reforms, financial inclusion, gender-sensitive strategies, and strengthening institutional support to improve access to credit for women, youth, and farmers with disabilities.