BC-Department of Geography

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Climate Change Adaptation Through Sustainable Water Resources Management in Kenya: Challenges and Opportunities
(Springer Nature, 2020) Asokan, Shilpa Muliyil; Obando, Joy; Kwena, Brian Felix; Luwesi, Cush Ngonzo
Water is the medium through which society experiences the most dramatic and direct manifestations of climate change. At the same time, water has a critical role to play in climate change adaptation and is central towards achieving Africa Water Vision 2025, and the targets set for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the Kenya Vision 2030. There are fundamental challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable water resources management, mainly, the inherent uncertainty associated with the changing climate, the inflexibility in infrastructure and institutions that manage water, and the poor integration of all stakeholders and sectors in water resources management. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities in implementing integrated water resources management and its critical role towards climate change adaptation. A preliminary assessment of sustainable management of water resources and its role in effective climate change adaptation and resilience building in Kenya is carried out through questionnaire survey and stakeholder interactions. Climate change-induced uncertainty, diminishing water sources aggravated by growing water demand, weak institutional and financial governance, and lack of transparency and stakeholder inclusiveness are identified as the main challenging factors that need to be addressed to build a climate resilient society. The study furthermore emphasizes the critical role of water management in achieving Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Climate Change, Pro-Poor Schemes and Water Inequality: Strengths and Weaknesses of Kauti Irrigation Water Users’ Association, Kenya
(The Nordic Africa Institute, 2015) Luwesi, Cush N.; Kinuthia, Wanja; Mutiso, Mary N.; Akombo, R. A.; Doke, Dzigbodi A.; Ruhakana, A.
Climate Governance in Eastern Africa: The Challenges and Prospects of Climate Change Adaptation Policies
(Springer link, 2023) Kweyu, Raphael Mulaha; Asokan, Shilpa Muliyil; Ndesanjo, Ronald Boniphace; Obando, Joy Apiyo; Tumbo, Madaka Harold
Climate governance leverages collaborative climate change adaptation actions. Despite many joint actions, gaps exist between policy and practice in climate adaptation among East African countries. Climate governance in East Africa takes cues from the state’s politics and policy structures underpinned by its level of political transformation. As such, climate governance confronts challenges common to all other policy sectors that integrate a complex mix of economic resource allocation and variables akin to the management of public affairs. This chapter identifies prebendalism, nepotism and political patronage in resource allocations. This chapter assesses the trends in climate change governance in East Africa. It addresses climate change policy frameworks on adaptation at regional, national and local governments, gaps between policy and practice of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and the management of climate-related conflicts. The chapter concludes by recommending further courses of action to strengthen climate governance among the local communities.
Co-designing knowledge systems for sustainable development in Kenya
(UNESCO, 2019) Onsongo, Elsie; Mutisya, Emmanuel; Shisanya, C.A.
Determinants of Sustainable Utilization of Plant Resources in the Former Kakamega District, Kenya
(Organisation for Social Science, 2011-08) Shisanya, C.A.
Evaluation of Nitrogen Fixation using 15N Dilution Methods and Economy of a Maize-tepary Bean Intercrop Farming System in Semi-arid SE-Kenya
(Springer Netherlands, 2007) Shisanya, C.A.; Gitonga, Nkanata Mburugu
Tepary bean has become popular among poor small-scale farmers in semi-arid Kenya, where it is intercropped with maize. This study aimed at i) evaluating the N-economy of maize/tepary bean intercrop versus sole crop using natural abundance and 15N enriched fertilizer methods, and ii) assessing the contribution of fixed N2 by tepary bean to the total N balance in the intercrops and sole cropping systems assessed from harvested seed and residues. Experiments were carried out during the short rains of 2001/2002 and long rains of 2003 at Kenya Agriculture Research Institute (KARI) Kiboko, Kenya. Randomised block design was used with one block devoted to the 15N natural abundance (–N), the other 15N labelled fertilizer (+N), replicated 4 times. Above ground biomass and total N were determined in sole crops or intercrops (–N or +N). Tepary bean received 53–69% of its N supply from N2-fixation with N2-fixation slightly affected by intercropping or N fertilizer application. N2-fixation of tepary in greenhouse experiment was lower (36–66%) than in the field study and more affected by N supply. Budgets for N were estimated for field intercrops based on above-ground seed yields, return of crop residues, input of fixed N and fertilizer N. N2-fixation was 59 kg N ha-1 in plots receiving no N fertilizer, and 73 kg N ha-1 in plots receiving N as urea. Corresponding fixation by sole tepary was high (87 and 82 kg N ha-1, respectively), but this advantage was outweighed by greater land use efficiency in intercrop than sole crop
Hydrology and Integrated Water Resource Management for Sustainable Watershed Management in Kenya
(Cases on the Diffusion and Adoption of Sustainable Development Practices, 2013) Ondieki, Christopher Misati
Degradation of watersheds and diminishing water resources lead to unsustainable environmental and socio- economic development. The hydrological characteristics are desirable for sustainable water resource exploitation. Hydrological and water resources research were examined in three case watersheds in Kenya leading to the need for integrated water resources management, environmental conservation, and watershed management plans as a result of the major challenges of climate change and variability and uncoordinated watershed resource utilization. Well-managed hydro-meteorological networks at different scales of hydrological systems have been proposed to assess potential for optimal resource use and harmony involving all stakeholders for reduced water stress and future water conflicts. Updates of information and methodologies for watershed management that emphasize collaborative efforts and use of sustainable best practices would require input of various stakeholders including Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA), Basin Authorities, and National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).
Impact of Short-Term Flooding on Livelihoods in the Kenya Rift Valley Lakes
(Springer Nature, 2016) Obando, Joy Apiyo; Onywere, Simon; Shisanya, C.A.; Ndubi, Anthony; Masiga, Dan; Irura, Zephania; Mariita, Nicholas; Maragia, Haron
Short term flooding episodes can have devastating impacts on both the natural processes and community livelihoods. The Lakes Baringo, Bogoria, Nakuru and Naivasha lie within the arid and semi-arid northern part of the central rift valley in Kenya and are vulnerable to climatic variability with particular challenges related to water resources. This chapter presents the extent of flooding of four lakes in the central rift valley in Kenya over the period from January 2010 to December 2014. Documentation of the changing spatial extent of the water levels in the four lakes was conducted using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) digital
Improvement of Grain Legume Production in Semi-Arid Kenya Through Biological Nitrogen Fixation: the Experience With Tepary Bean (Phaseolus Acutifolius A. Gray Var. Latifolius)
(Springer Netherlands, 2004) Shisanya, C.A.
This chapter highlighted the food security concerns in sub-Saharan Africa, their contributing factors and possible ways of ameliorating the situation. It is recognised that Africa must embrace agricultural biotechnology to help counter famine, environmental degradation and poverty. Biotechnology does offer tremendous opportunities for increasing crop yields, reducing pest damage, protecting the environment and improving nutritional value of crops. An example of how tepary bean legume yield has been increased in semi-arid Kenya through biological nitrogen fixation has been illustrated. It has been demonstrated that higher yields of tepary bean are achieved by inoculation with a commercially available infective and effective Rhizobium strain R3254. This strain is able to increase yield over and above nitrogen fertiliser application. It therefore offers a cheaper alternative to the resource poor farmers of semi-arid Kenya who cannot afford the expensive artificial N fertiliser.
The Potential of Organic and Inorganic Nutrient Sources in Sub-Saharan African Crop Farming Systems
(INTECH, 2012) Ngetich, Felix K.; Shisanya, C.A.; Mugwe, Jayne; Mucheru-Muna, Monicah; Mugendi, Daniel
Prioritization of Soil Erosion Prone Areas Based on Morphometric and Land Use / Cover Parameters in River Thiririka Watershed, Kiambu County Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024-05) Inyele, Juliet
Morphometric studies and land use / land cover analysis play a key role in integrated watershed management. Sustainable resource utilization at a watershed level requires an in-depth understanding of the vegetation characteristics, land surface features, land use, drainage and hydrological patterns of the watershed. In developing countries, poverty have led to unsuitable land management practices (e.g. deforestation, continuous tillage), contributing to increased runoff causing land degradation and increased soil erosion in watersheds. This inhibits the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of zero hunger, access to clean water, and sanitation. To reduce soil erosion at the watershed level, watershed managers need to make informed decisions such as developing vegetative cover, agroforestry, and terracing. However, this is limited in Kenya due to lack of readily available data to guide the process. This study explored the potential use of basin and drainage network properties, land use / land cover characteristics with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) tools to identify sub watersheds susceptible to soil erosion in Thiririka watershed in Kenya. Five sub watersheds were delineated and assigned a code from SW1 to SW5 using the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) 30 meter resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with Arc Hydro tools in ArcGIS 10.8 software. These was followed by the analysis of morphometric parameters of linear, aerial, and relief characteristics of the watershed. Land use / land cover classes were generated from an annual median composite of Sentinel-2 image for the year 2020, collected using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The training polygons were systematically sampled from the field using handheld GPS. A supervised classification scheme was used to develop a random forest classifier to perform the classification. In addition, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) extracted from a median composite of Sentinel-2 image for 2020 and the SRTM-DEM were incorporated to improve the classification accuracy. The overall accuracy was 0.88, and Kappa statistics of the classifications was 0.86. Further, to understand the spatial distribution of water in the catchment, the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) values were extracted from the SRTM DEM. The effect of land use / land cover, vegetation cover and soil moisture to soil erosion tested using a two way ANOVA showed that all the parameters have a positive correlation with soil erosion. Finally, the effects of morphometric parameters, land use/ land cover, vegetation characteristics and soil moisture on soil erosion were assessed and assigned ranks 1 to 5. The ranks assigned for all the parameters were averaged to get the compound priority value (CP). Results showed that sub watershed 5 (SW5) and sub watershed 1 (SW1) are highly susceptible to soil erosion needing immediate management actions, while sub watershed 4 (SW4) and sub watershed 3 (SW3) show less susceptibility to soil erosion. This study provides information on sub watersheds exposed to soil erosion, which is important for all the stakeholders in watershed management such as agricultural officers, farmers, planners, and policymakers to focus the appropriate sustainable watershed management practices.
Role of Traditional Ethnobotanical Knowledge and Indigenous Institutions in Sustainable Land Management in Western Highlands of Kenya
(INTECH, 2017) Shisanya, C.A.
The objective of this chapter is to elucidate the relevance of indigenous knowledge and institutions in natural resource management using western highlands of Kenya as a case study. The research design was a mixed method, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 350 individuals (comprising farmers, herbalists and charcoal burners) from households were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, 50 in-depth interviews and 35 focus group discussions. The results show that indigenous knowledge and institutions play a significant role in conserving natural resources in the study area. There was gender differentiation in knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) of indigenous knowledge as applied to sustainable land management. It is recommended that deliberate efforts should be put in place by the County Governments to scale up the roles of indigenous institutions in managing natural resources in the study area.
Social and Economic Factors for the Adoption of Agroforestry Practices in Lake Victoria Catchment, Magu, Tanzania
(Springer Netherlands, 2011) Shisanya, C.A.; Tenge, A. J.; Kalumuna, M.C.
Environmental degradation is an issue of concern in the Lake Victoria catchment in Mwanza, Tanzania. Deforestation and improper soil management have lead to soil erosion, lake siltation, accumulation of C in the atmosphere and climate change. Agroforestry practices, soil conservation measures, manure application and retaining low-quality crop residues as soil organic inputs could reduce environmental degradation while increasing farm productivity and income. However, these options are not widely used by smallholder farmers in the Lake Victoria catchment area. Promotion and sustainable uses of these options require understanding of the prevailing socio-economic situation of the target farmers. This research investigated the social and economic factors that influence the adoption of agroforestry practices by smallholder farmers in Magu district, Mwanza region. Focused group discussions, household surveys and transect walks were used to collect data. A total of 120 households were interviewed and several fields visited during the transect walks. Data was analysed using cross-tabulation, cluster analysis and chi-square methods. Results indicate that involvement in off-farm activities such as fishing, livestock keeping, mini-business and insecure land tenure negatively influences the adoption of agroforestry practices. Contacts with extension agents, level of training, perception of the problem and farm sizes positively influence the adoption. Recommendations to facilitate adoption include integration of socio-economic factors into agroforestry plans, creation of more awareness among farmers and other stakeholders on environmental degradation problems and strengthening the extension services.
Toward a Hydro-Economic Approach for Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning of Water Disasters in Semi-Arid Kenya
(INTECH, 2011) Luwesi, Cush Ngonzo; Shisanya, C.A.; Obando, Joy Apiyo

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