A constant increase in droughts in Eastern Africa has impacted the region's agricultural sector. Small-scale farmers produce most of Kenya’s agricultural output and are particularly vulnerable to drought. They also play a crucial role in combating such environmental shocks. This thesis aimed to explore how drought affects small-scale farmers in Kenya and what coping mechanisms they use. It further studied what was needed for small-scale farmers to implement adapting and mitigating strategies. These objectives were examined through the cases of Narok County and Nakuru County. An ethnographic field study was conducted to collect data through the qualitative methods of observations and semi-structured interviews. Finally, the findings were analyzed using a Political Ecological framework to explore drought’s social, economic, and political implications and the importance of indigenous knowledge systems and local perspectives. 

The findings showed that drought affects small-scale farmers through lower yields, fewer income opportunities, financial strains, food insecurity, and impaired well-being. The coping mechanisms small-scale farmers use are mainly indigenous agricultural conservation practices. They also use more technical equipment and non-agricultural solutions to cope. Financial, material, and information resources combined with local participation to create enabling policies and favorable environments are needed to implement adapting and mitigating strategies. Accountable networks are also needed, focusing on government support and the assistance of international actors. However, these networks showed to be influenced by economic and political interests relating to mainstream ideas of development.