@mastersthesis {67726,
	title = {Reducing Subsistence Farmers{\textquoteright} Vulnerability to Climate Change: The Potential Contributions of Agroforestry in Western Kenya},
	year = {2011},
	note = {Download PDF},
	month = {Mar 1, 2011},
	abstract = {Climate change is predicted to have huge impacts on rural farmers in 
developing countries, as small-scale farmers are particularly vulnerable
 to climatic stresses and shocks.  Agroforestry, or the use of trees in 
the cropping system to improve farm productivity, has been put forth as a
 potential strategy to improve farmers{\textquoteright} ability to adapt to future 
climate changes.  Through a case study in western Kenya, I examine 
agroforestry{\textquoteright}s role in helping subsistence farmers adapt to climate 
change through both qualitative and quantitative analyses. My results 
show that farmers are unable to cope with current climatic shocks in a 
sustainable way.  By examining household responses to the most recent 
floods and droughts I find that often households are forced to engage in
 erosive coping strategies that threaten their farm{\textquoteright}s long-term 
productivity. Farmers and the general literature agree that the most 
effective way to cope with future climate variation and shocks will be 
to improve general livelihoods through increasing farm productivity and 
enhancing non-farm incomes. My statistical analyses support my 
qualitative observations that agroforestry techniques can improve farm 
productivity and household wealth. From these results I conclude that 
agroforestry practices have the potential to help farmers adapt to 
climate change through improving general household wellbeing in rural 
western Kenya. My findings also stress the importance of 
location-specific evaluations of effective development strategies and 
the need for enhanced community participation in development practices.},
	author = {Thorlakson, Tannis R.}
}
