Abstract for: Analysis of adaptation processes to offset the climate change effects on farming systems in Kenya

Climate change will have a major impact on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa and adaptation to climate change requires a major transformation process of smallholder agriculture. A considerable body of research explores adaptation strategies for agriculture. However, there is not an overview of existing adaptation options working in concert and their impacts, neither how to prioritize these options. The proposed project contributes to the acceleration of the adaptation process by combining the fields of climate change, agriculture, and food security with the field of System Dynamics for policy design. This combination results in an innovative methodology for building capacity to effectively manage adaptation to climate change. In this case the project will include the development of a simulation model for farming systems in Kenya. The model integrates existing knowledge and data collected during field work. It results in a simplified but illustrative impact assessment tool that visualizes the short and long term impact of adaptation options on food security under different climate change scenarios.