Drivers of Resource Based Conflicts among Agro-Pastoral Communities Living along Kerio Valley, Kenya

Charles Chelimo Suter, Mark Kiptui & Saina Christopher
School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
University of Eldoret, Kenya
Email: chelimosuter@gmail.com

Abstract: For decades, resource-based conflicts continue to disrupt livelihoods in the Kerio Valley, yet existing studies often attribute them to cattle rustling alone and offer limited evidence on how competing claims over land, water, and pasture interact with climate stress and weak governance. This study determined the drivers of resource-based conflicts among agro-pastoralist communities along the Kerio Valley. A descriptive survey design using mixed-methods approach was employed. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) sample size formula a sample of 382 household heads were selected from a target of 49,500, complemented by 30 purposively selected key informants and four focus group discussions, giving 412 respondents. Data were collected usingstructured questionnaires, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observation checklists. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS version 26, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Ethical approval, informed consent, confidentiality, and voluntary participation were observed. Pearson correlation showed that all drivers had significant negative relationships with conflict management outcomes: cattle rustling (r = -.548, p < .01), cultural and ethnic rivalries (r = -.502, p < .01), scarcity of pasture and water (r = -.457, p < .01), and climate and environmental stress (r = -.421, p < .01). The study concluded that conflict arises from interacting drivers, with raiding and rivalries most damaging to peace outcomes. It recommended strengthening community-led peace mechanisms, equitable management of water and grazing, consistent enforcement of land-use regulations, and climate adaptation with livelihood diversification.