Chapter 15
Using Participatory Approaches
in Measuring Resilience and Development
in Isiolo County, Kenya
Irene Karani and Nyachomba Kariuki
Abstract This article highlights the process of using participatory approaches in
measuring resilience using the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development
(TAMD) Framework. The utilization of participatory approaches in Isiolo County
using the TAMD framework is aligned to the recent thinking of measuring ‘subjective resilience’ using people’s perceptions to quantify household resilience. This
article outlines the process of developing subjective indicators with communities,
collection of baseline, monitoring and early outcome data by communities who
were assisted in the development of their own adaptation theories of change. It also
highlights the lessons and implications for policy if the approach is to be replicated
at sub-national and community levels.
Keywords Resilience • Participatory • Evaluation • Theory of change •
Development
15.1 Introduction
There is no commonly accepted definition of resilience across all disciplines.
1
However the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) in its Annual Report
5, builds on the definition used by the Arctic Council in 2013 and defines resilience
as the capacity of social, economic, and environmental systems to cope with a
hazardous event or trend or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in ways that
maintain their essential function, identity, and structure, while also maintaining the
capacity for adaptation, learning, and transformation.
2 With this in mind, there is a
need to measure the impact effectiveness of adaptation actions and how they
I. Karani (*) • N. Kariuki
LTS Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
e-mail: irene-karani@ltsi.co.uk; nyachomba-kariuki@ltsi.co.uk
1 Community and Regional Resilience Institute (2013). Definitions for community resilience: An
Analysis. A CARRI report. Page 10.
2 https://ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/images/uploads/WGIIAR5-AnnexII_FINAL.pdf
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_15
271
Using Participatory Approaches
in Measuring Resilience and Development
in Isiolo County, Kenya
Irene Karani and Nyachomba Kariuki
Abstract This article highlights the process of using participatory approaches in
measuring resilience using the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development
(TAMD) Framework. The utilization of participatory approaches in Isiolo County
using the TAMD framework is aligned to the recent thinking of measuring ‘subjective resilience’ using people’s perceptions to quantify household resilience. This
article outlines the process of developing subjective indicators with communities,
collection of baseline, monitoring and early outcome data by communities who
were assisted in the development of their own adaptation theories of change. It also
highlights the lessons and implications for policy if the approach is to be replicated
at sub-national and community levels.
Keywords Resilience • Participatory • Evaluation • Theory of change •
Development
15.1 Introduction
There is no commonly accepted definition of resilience across all disciplines.
1
However the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) in its Annual Report
5, builds on the definition used by the Arctic Council in 2013 and defines resilience
as the capacity of social, economic, and environmental systems to cope with a
hazardous event or trend or disturbance, responding or reorganizing in ways that
maintain their essential function, identity, and structure, while also maintaining the
capacity for adaptation, learning, and transformation.
2 With this in mind, there is a
need to measure the impact effectiveness of adaptation actions and how they
I. Karani (*) • N. Kariuki
LTS Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
e-mail: irene-karani@ltsi.co.uk; nyachomba-kariuki@ltsi.co.uk
1 Community and Regional Resilience Institute (2013). Definitions for community resilience: An
Analysis. A CARRI report. Page 10.
2 https://ipcc-wg2.gov/AR5/images/uploads/WGIIAR5-AnnexII_FINAL.pdf
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_15
271