Environmental and Socio-Economic Influences on the Purchase of Woven Products in Kisumu County, Kenya
| dc.contributor.author | Okeyo, Amos Agutu | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-28T11:55:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-28T11:55:26Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-01 | |
| dc.description | A Thesis Submitted In Partial Fulfillment for the Award of the Degree of Master of Environmental Science, School Of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta University, January 2025. Supervisors 1. Esther Kitur 2. Julius Nzeve | |
| dc.description.abstract | In spite of the adverse economic and environmental threats from invasive species like water hyacinth, it has provided diverse socio-economic benefits just like papyrus reeds in wetlands and to riparian communities in Weaving Industry (WI). Besides use in WI, they have also helped in treating of agro-industrial wastewater and as fertilizers and fodder in agricultural sector. WI utilizes environmentally friendly materials (water hyacinth and papyrus reeds) which promotes conservation especially when used in making furniture products. However, it still lacks significant efforts in reducing the population of invasive species within the lake and coupled with the few markets for woven products. The study was designed to assess the environmental and socio-economic influences of consumers on the purchase of woven products in Kisumu County, Kenya. Woven products were defined as handicraft products made by interlacing fibrous materials from water hyacinth or papyrus reeds including products like furniture, which incorporate cane or metal frames to create elegant finished products. The objectives of this study were: to identify the sources of raw materials used to weave products in Kisumu County; to assess the socio-demographic and economic characteristics of persons purchasing woven products in Kisumu County; to assess the opinion of consumers on woven products and its environmental impact and to determine the purchasing behaviour of Kisumu residents on woven products. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Kisumu County formed the study area; two Sub-Counties, Kisumu East and Kisumu Central were purposively selected due to their proximity to Lake Victoria, presence of woven products making points and potential market. A total of 384 respondents were selected for the study. Data collection was through administering structured with the assistance of three trained research assistants. From the study findings, 57% of respondents sourced raw materials from Lake Victoria while 43% from swamps and rivers which drained into the Lake. Papyrus reeds (58%) was the most popularly used raw material followed by water hyacinth (22%) and other materials (20%); used as a binder in certain products. Stools were the highest woven products (59%), followed by sofa sets 54.5% and mats 50%. The least made products were beds, Trays and TV stands each at 4.5%. The study established that there was significant influence of socio-demographics and economic characteristics on the purchase of woven products (p< 0.05). Females, the married, those aged 21-39 and those with post-secondary education tend to have higher affinity to purchase woven products. Opinions of consumers on woven products were significantly different (p<0.05), hence we can reject the null hypothesis that people using woven products are not significantly different. Consumers opinion on possibility of woven products reducing overdependence on wooden products, using simple and friendly technology, used only for people of low class and were readily available, were all statistically insignificant (p> 0.05). About 30.7% of those in agreement with reduction in over dependence on wooden products were of high EPB. Implying the probability of reduction in over dependence on wooden products is 30.7% when all other predictors are set to their mean values. Generally, the study revealed a low EPB among consumers in Kisumu County. However, the study found that both environmental awareness and social influence were significant (p< 0.05) in EPB. The study recommends exploiting of water hyacinth in the WI to minimize their adverse ecological and physiological impacts on the environment while considering selective harvesting of papyrus reeds to promote a well-functioning ecosystem. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/31299 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Environmental and Socio-Economic Influences on the Purchase of Woven Products in Kisumu County, Kenya | |
| dc.type | Thesis |