BLOG POST 5: ENVIRONMENT-RELATED SHOCKS AND STRESSES IN THARAKA

BLOG POST 5: ENVIRONMENT-RELATED SHOCKS AND STRESSES IN THARAKA

 This blog post extends the discourse in blog 4 on the common shocks and stresses in Tharaka. It narrows to shocks and stresses that are associated with climate change and other environmental issues it identifies these shocks, stresses, and describes local perceptions of signs of a climate-change related shocks and stress. The blog post also attempts to identify the perceived causes of these shocks and stresses. The effects of these shocks on different groups in local community are also described in this blog.

 Common climatic shocks and stresses

 Climate-related factors produce the most types of shocks in Tharaka, in both the wetter and dry zones of Tharaka South and Tharaka North sub counties. The main climate-related shocks and stresses in Tharaka are:

·      Droughts and the associated scarcity of water, drying of rivers and diminished pastures.

·      Pests and diseases affecting crops

·      Livestock diseases

These shocks are mostly widespread, frequent and mild-too severe in their effects. They directly affect local households. Majority of households perceive them as “normal” occurrences due to their frequency.  Their effects on local households are often mild to severe, and often undermine local household incomes, leads to high household expenditure, loss of assets built by households over a long period. 

Signs of impending climate-related shocks

Signs of impending drought and other shocks and stresses include:

•         Constellation (gwiri in Kitharaka) heading from the east to west meaning that there will be no from where it is coming from.

•         Trees sending leaves, looking at tree behavior --- baobab tree especially

•         There could be some little that would make wild plants to bear fruits (such fruits include mbuu, ngaa, nthwana, etc).

•         Outbreak of diseases -- mosquitoes, excessive rains.

•         Increase of ticks and other insects.

•         Strong winds which indicated there would be NCD, which is transmitted through air.

•         Too much sunshine or the opposite (cloudy weather)

•         According to a Njuri Ncheke elder, there were mysterious people who used to disappear mysteriously and appear to tell they had been told of God. Men who stopped by sexually active used to go and beseech God and rain would fall. People cleared holy sites “shrines”. Five years ago Njuri Ncheke had to climb Mt Kenya to pray to God for rain “because up there on the mountain is undefiled; the mountain is protected by KWS”.

•         Greediness of birds (chicken).

•         Visit of wild animals like rats, birds and ants. This time they do not fear people as opposed to the normal days.

•         Other include: changes of weather (no clouding in the sky), no sounds of millipedes, dizziness of the people (people grow weak), family conflicts and no lightening.

 

Causes of climate-related shocks and stresses

·         Depressed rainfall and lack to use irrigation water to water to irrigate land.

·         Cutting down of trees (without planting)

·         Spoil erosion

·         Invasion into forests and water towers

·         Clearing shrines (holy places). According to a Njuri Ncheke elder, “they invaded protracted hills which were shelter for God.”

·         Land adjudication reduced farm size and people cleared trees and river banks.

·         People abandoned traditional ways of doing things … so there is no coerciveness nowadays where people do not support each other.

·         Lack of information to best agricultural activities in farms leads to minimal harvest that clings for poverty and droughts.

·         Causes of livestock diseases include heavy rains when major outbreaks occur. During dry seasons, there is outbreak of tick borne diseases and tsetse fly. Veterinary department says diseases are seasons as they viral in nature and mostly occur from July to September.

·         Human activity depleted all the grass that was nutritious.

Vulnerability

The most affected by climate-related shocks and stresses, especially drought include elderly, widows and children who remain behind at home. Children miss classes due to lack of food and school fees. Enrolment and retention are higher in schools with feeding programs. Other includes OVC, PWDs, and the poor.  A key informant from Marimanti explained that boys were most affected boy especially by drought as they are told, “he is a hyena he can fend he will for himself”.

Effects of shocks and stresses on men and women

Climate-related shocks affect men and women in similar ways. Coping strategies used by men and women are influenced more by the role each play as dictated by local culture and traditions. For example, it is men who migrate to look for menial work from which they send money to households to weather through a severe food shortage. On the other hand, it women who usually beg for food within the community and from neighboring communities. Both men seek and perform menial work to feed their families during food shortages. It is generally a responsibilities borne by all household members to contribute to resolving a shock such as sudden or serious sickness within the household, although the man and women in that order assumes greater responsibility, both for taking action and shouldering the burden of outcome.