Browsing by Author "Rotich, Diane Chepkirui"

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    Land Use Changes and Human-Wildlife Conflict in Kajiado County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2025-12) Rotich, Diane Chepkirui
    In recent years, specific land use changes have been identified as key drivers of human wildlife conflict in Kajiado. Pastoral activities, which once coexisted with wildlife, are increasingly leading to competition over dwindling grazing lands. Settlement pattern changes and infrastructure development, such as roads and housing projects, have fragmented habitats, increasing the frequency of wildlife entering human settlements. Agricultural expansion, which converts wildlife corridors into farmlands, has been noted as a major contributor to habitat loss, driving wildlife to forage in farms, leading to destruction and tension between wildlife conservation efforts and community livelihoods. The broad objective of the study was to assess the effect of Land Use Changes on Human Wildlife Conflict in Kajiado County, Kenya. The specific land use changes that was focused on comprised of changes in pastoral activities, settlement pattern changes, agricultural expansion and infrastructure development. The Land Tenure Theory and Habitat Suitability Theory anchored the study. The study used descriptive design targeting the local community representatives, farmers and pastoralists, wildlife rangers and officers, community leaders, Government and County Officials and Wildlife Conservation Organizations. In total, the target population comprised of 2419 respondents. A stratification of the population was done to enhance sampling while random sampling was applied to identify the specific respondents from ach stratum. A sample size of 343 respondents was determined using Cochran's formula. A combination of structured questionnaires and semi structured interview guides were employed to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was analysed using mean and standard deviation and Pearson Correlation Coefficient for inferential analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results of the analysis were displayed in form of tables and figures. The study established that land use changes comprising of changes in pastoral activities, settlement pattern changes, agricultural expansion and infrastructure development positively and significantly affect human wildlife conflict in Kajiado County. This was depicted by beta values of 0.213, 0.538, 0.411 and 0.329 and significant values of 0.009, 0.000, 0.000 and 0.000 respectively. The study concluded that increase in the land use changes increases animal wildlife conflicts in Kajiado County. The study recommends promoting sustainable grazing practices, regulating settlement patterns, and implementing wildlife friendly farming to minimize human wildlife conflicts in Kajiado County. This study recommends integrating wildlife considerations into development plans, enforcing land use policies, and engaging stakeholders may help balance conservation efforts with economic growth