Abstract
In many sub-Saharan countries, studies indicate that water scarcity is caused by institutional and political factors. However, despite implementation of a decentralized and integrated approach in water governance, additional water stress from climate-related impacts now threaten to fuel water insecurity. Borrowing from social network theory, this chapter seeks to investigate how synergy among water governance actors influences adaptation status in rural Kenya. Network data from Loitokitok district in southern Kenya is collected using the saturation sampling method and analyzed for density, structural holes, and suitable brokers. Results indicate that rural water security is augmented mainly by individual rain water harvest, effective irrigation techniques, community-based water-point protection, and intermittent capacity building. However, the integrated governance strategy fails to aid interconnective and coordinative actions among actors thus hindering spread of adaptation strategies to the wider community and results in independent implementation of water conservation measures. Consequently, we call for deliberate linkage among local stakeholders to upscale adaptation measures and enhance water security in Kenya.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Adger WN, Agrawala S, Mirza MMQ, Conde C, O’Brien K, Pulhin J, Takahashi K (2007) Assessment of adaptation practices, options, constraints and capacity. In: Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, van der Linden PJ, Hanson CE (eds) Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of working group II to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 717–743
Altmann J, Alberts SC, Altmann SA, Roy SB (2002) Dramatic change in local climate patterns in the Amboseli basin. Kenya Afr J Ecol 40(3):248–251
Born SM, Sonzogni WC (1995) Integrated environmental management: strengthening the conceptualization. Environ Manage 19(2):167–181
Burt R (2008) Measuring access to structural holes. University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Chicago
Burt R (2011) Brokerage and closure: an introduction to social capital, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Carius A (2009) Climate change and security in Africa challenges and international policy context. United Nations, Berlin, p 15
Ernstson H, Barthel S, Andersson E, Borgström ST (2010) Scale-crossing brokers and network governance of urban ecosystem services: the case of Stockholm. Ecol Soc 15(4):28
Everett M, Borgatti SP (2005) Ego network betweenness. Soc Netw 27(1):31–38
Government of Kenya (2009a) Loitoktok district development plan. Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Planning National Development and Vision 2030, Nairobi
Government of Kenya (2009b) Ministry of water and sanitation: ministerial strategic plan 2009–2012. Government printers, Nairobi Kenya
Grossmann M (2008) The Kilimanjaro aquifer (working paper). German Development Institute, Germany, pp 91–124
Lourenço N, Rodrigues L, Machado C (2004) Social networks and water management decision-making: a methodological approach to local case studies (no. EVK1—2000—00082). Universidade Atlântica, Italy, p 55
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) Ecosystems and human well-being, vol 5. Island Press, Washington
Mutunga K (2001) Water conservation, harvesting and management (WCHM)—Kenyan experience. In: Stott DE, Mohtar RH, Steinhardt GC (eds) Sustaining the global farm. 10th International Soil Conservation Organization Meeting. Purdue University and the USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, pp 1139–1143
Ngigi SN (2009) Climate change adaptation strategies: water resources management options for smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Columbia University, MDG Centre, New York
Prell C (2012) Social network analysis: history, theory and methodology, 1st edn. Sage, London
Prell C, Reed M, Racin L, Hubacek K (2010) Competing structure, competing views: the role of formal and informal social structures in shaping stakeholder perceptions. Ecol Soc 15(4):34
Ribot JC (2002) African decentralization: local actors, powers and accountability. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Geneva
Schewe J, Heinke J, Gerten D, Haddeland I, Arnell NW, Clark DB, Kabat P (2013) Multimodel assessment of water scarcity under climate change. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (special issue), p 6. doi:10.1073/pnas.1222460110
Schilling J, Akuno M, Scheffran J, Weinzierl T (2012) On raids and relations: climate change, pastoral conflict and adaptation in Northwestern Kenya. In: Bronkhorst S, Bob U (eds) Climate change and conflict: where to for conflict sensitive climate adaptation in Africa? Human Sciences Research Council, Durban
Smakhtin V, Revenga C, Döll P (2004) A pilot global assessment of environmental water requirements and scarcity. Water Int 29(3):307–317
Smoke P (2003) Decentralization in Africa: goals, dimensions, myths and challenges. Public Adm Dev 23(1):7–16
Thompson LG, Brecher HH, Mosley-Thompson E, Hardy DR, Mark BG (2009) Glacier loss on Kilimanjaro continues unabated. Proc Natl Acad Sci 106(47):19770–19775
UNDP and SIWI (2007) Improving water governance in Kenya through the human rights-based approach: a mapping and baseline report (mapping and baseline report). Governance in Development International on behalf of UNDP, Nairobi, p 186
UNECE (2009) Guidance on water and adaptation to climate change. United Nations Publications, New York
UNEP (2005) Hydropolitical vulnerability and resilience along international waters. United Nations Environment Program, Nairobi
UNEP and WRC (2008) Assessment of transboundary freshwater vulnerability. Division of Early Warning and Assessment, North America
Wamalwa IW (2009) Prospects and limitations of integrated watershed management in Kenya: a case study of Mara watershed (masters’ program in environmental studies and sustainability science). Lund University, Sweden
Wangai P, Muriithi J, Koenig A (2013) Drought related impacts on local people’s socioeconomic life and biodiversity conservation at Kuku group Ranch, Southern Kenya. Int J Ecosyst 3(1):1–6. doi:10.5923/j.ije.20130301.01
Ward FA, Michelsen A (2002) The economic value of water in agriculture: concepts and policy applications. Water Policy 4(5):423–446
WBGU (2008) Climate change as a security risk. Earthscan, London
Wily L, Dewees PA (2001) From users to custodians: changing relations between people and the state in forest management in Tanzania, vol 2569. World Bank Publications, Washington
Acknowledgments
Research for this article was funded in parts by the German Science Foundation (DFG) through the Cluster of Excellence CliSAP (EXC177), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), National Council for Science and Technology-Kenya (NCST) and Centre for a Sustainable University-Hamburg.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ngaruiya, G.W., Scheffran, J., Lang, L. (2015). Social Networks in Water Governance and Climate Adaptation in Kenya. In: Leal Filho, W., Sümer, V. (eds) Sustainable Water Use and Management. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12394-3_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12394-3_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12393-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12394-3
eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)