Strengthening customary institutions in Isiolo County, Kenya

The Resource Advocacy Programme (RAP) in Isiolo County of northern Kenya used a rapid participatory assessment approach to investigate the benefits of strengthening customary institutions for natural resource stewardship. The objective of the assessment was to weigh the benefits and costs of investments in adaptation to short- and long-term climate variability and change. The investments included funds made available through a devolved Climate Adaptation Fund (CAF), as well as from other sources. Adaptation Planning Committees in the wards of Kinna, Garba Tula, Sericho and Merti invested a total of GBP 66,234 to build adaptive capacity to shocks and climate variability by strengthening customary institutions known in the local Boran language as Dedha. The CAF enabled the Dedha to review their institutional functions and procedures and to hold strategic meetings, including cross-border meetings with resource users from neighbouring counties.

The report on this rapid assessment “Strengthening local customary institutions: a case study in Isiolo County, northern Kenya” (2015, 50pp) by Daoud Tari, Caroline King-Okumu and Ibrahim Jarso can be found here.

Posted on 20 November 2015 in Pastoralism & Climate Change, Pastoralism & Natural Resources