Abstract
Climate variability and recurrent extreme weather events continue to undermine rural
livelihoods in Kenya, particularly in Nyakach Sub-County where most households
depend on climate-sensitive livelihoods and have limited access to formal adaptation
support. Grassroots initiatives such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as
important community-based mechanisms for enhancing adaptive capacity and sustaining
livelihoods through collective action, pooled resources, and knowledge sharing. This
study was undertaken to evaluate the contribution of Self-help group participation to
household livelihood outcomes, and to assess how SHG membership influences
household adaptive capacity to climatic variability in Nyakach Sub-County. A descriptive
survey design was adopted, targeting 385 SHG members selected through purposive
sampling from 661 registered SHGs. Data were collected using structured Likert-scale
questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 29. Findings
indicated that SHG participation significantly enhanced income diversification, food
security, and asset accumulation, with members reporting new income-generating
activities, improved market access, and better savings discipline. SHGs were also found
to be critical in disseminating timely and trusted early warning information, organizing
pooled resources for climate shocks, facilitating access to farm inputs, and promoting the
adoption of climate-smart practices such as drought-tolerant crops, water harvesting, and
soil conservation. The study concluded that SHGs play a vital role in improving
household livelihoods and resilience to climate variability by combining economic
empowerment with adaptive strategies. Collectively, these outcomes underscore SHGs as
critical platforms for advancing household well-being while contributing to multiple
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero
Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13
(Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). It is recommended that SHG training be
expanded in scope and quality, infrastructure and resource access for climate-smart
practices be improved, and partnerships with government and development agencies be
strengthened to enhance technical linkages, ICT access, and targeted financing for longterm asset acquisition.