Browsing by Author "Ekisa, Tom George"

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Community participation in afforestation and agroforestry programmes in kenya: the influence of biophysical environmental in the case of Teso district
(2000) Ekisa, Tom George
On global scale, community participation in various activities is the core in the quest for sustainable development and environmental protection related issues. Community involvement in tree planting in Kenya is as old as modern agroforestry that started in 1971. However, certain biophysical environmental factors have not worked against the concept of community participation in tree planting. Although deforestation and resultant problems such as woodfuel shortage and reduced other forest based products, climate change, and soil erosion, have occurred world-wide, the worst hit areas are in developing countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa. Teso District falls in this region and therefore not an exception; the district inhabitants encounter these environmental problems. The study revealed that both biophysical environmental factors were major disincentives to community participation in tree planting. Among the biophysical aspects, soil and landscape characteristics, and entomological incidences were quite significant. However, the study also discovered that water availability and pathological factors were not significant obstacles to tree planting in the district
The effects of communal land sub-division and land use changes on household waste production in the southern rangelands of Kenya
(Academic Journals, 2015-02-28) Ekisa, Tom George
In the past few decades, the inhabitants of now Kajiado County in the southern rangelands of Kenya have experienced changes in land tenure and in land use that have impacted other aspects of their livelihoods as well as the environment. The study sought to examine these changes within the context of their potential influences on the household production and management of solid waste. Local residents from three different study areas were interviewed using questionnaires which included questions pertaining to basic demographic information, to land ownership and use, and to knowledge and behaviors regarding organic and inorganic household waste. The study revealed that while some characteristics of waste management were affected by land tenure and use, the use of waste from agricultural farms to feed livestock as a waste disposal method worked well for most households. Whereas some respondents burned their solid wastes others just left waste to litter in the compound. The majority of the results indicated that present changes in land tenure and land were key factors in influencing solid waste generation in the region. However, the study highlights several concerns about the lack of education and infrastructure for proper waste management which deserved attention. The study concluded that there was a relationship between solid waste generation and the nature of land use; agriculturalists produced more waste due to sedentarisation than pastoralists. Proper infrastructure and sensitization on solid management are keys to the negative impacts of solid waste to the inhabitants of the southern rangelands of Kenya.
Human-wildlife conflicts in Amboseli ecosystem: implications for sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation
(International Journal of Innovative Agriculture & Biology Research, 2016-12-17) Ekisa, Tom George; Okello, Samwel Victor
Land use changes in developing countries have had huge impacts on both human livelihoods and the surrounding wildlife. This study carried out in the Amboseli ecosystem of southern Kenya, aimed to investigate how the shift from a traditional pastoralist lifestyle to a more agricultural livelihood affected and contributed to human- wildlife conflicts. Structured interviews conducted with for pastoralists, agropastoralists, and agriculturalists in the region, as well as key informants. Findings revealed that the land use shift to agriculture has resulted in increased human- wildlife conflicts and a larger amount of property damage incurred by the residents. In order to protect both people and the wildlife that is also being threatened by this land use shift, policies such as wildlife compensation programs and the construction of electric fences around farms should be implemented along with traditional conflict resolution techniques.
The impacts of land use changes on livelihood of the Maasai community in Kajiado county, Kenya
(Dept. of Geography, Bahir Dar University, 2015-02-27) Kombo, N. P.; Ekisa, Tom George
This paper assesses impacts of land use changes on livelihoods and subsequent environmental degradation in Amboseli ecosystem of Southern Kenya. The paper employed field surveys using questionnaires, interview and focus group discussion to collect data. Findings revealed that slight majority (56%) of residents depend on agriculture or pastoralism as their main source of livelihood, reflecting their dependence on the land and resources. It was found that practices such as deforestation and use of fertilizers are increasing the environmental degradation and further perpetuating challenges related to environmental conservation that greatly affect their livelihoods. Therefore, these practices are not sustainable and changes must be made to new sustainable and dependable livelihood strategies. Strategies such as land use planning; planting of trees, agro-forestry, and community education on conservation practices should be implemented to improve livelihoods. Although policy and enforcement play important role in environmental conservation, it is equally important that sustainable strategies are generated and implemented on a local level to alleviate effects of land use changes and work towards reduction of environmental degradation.
The impacts of land use changes on the Maasai community in Kajiado county, Kenya
(Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies & Management, 2015-02-27) Kombo, P.; Ekisa, Tom George
This paper assesses impacts of land use changes on livelihoods and subsequent environmental degradation in Amboseli ecosystem of Southern Kenya. The paper employed field surveys using questionnaires, interview and focus group discussion to collect data. Findings revealed that slight majority (56%) of residents depend on agriculture or pastoralism as their main source of livelihood, reflecting their dependence on the land and resources. It was found that practices such as deforestation and use of fertilizers are increasing the environmental degradation and further perpetuating challenges related to environmental conservation that greatly affect their livelihoods. Therefore, these practices are not sustainable and changes must be made to new sustainable and dependable livelihood strategies. Strategies such as land use planning; planting of trees, agro-forestry, and community education on conservation practices should be implemented to improve livelihoods. Although policy and enforcement play important role in environmental conservation, it is equally important that sustainable strategies are generated and implemented on a local level to alleviate effects of land use changes and work towards reduction of environmental degradation.
Public-private partnership approach towards enhancing water accessibility in Busia municipality, Kenya
(IWA Publishing, 2014-09-01) Kombo, Paul Nakhungu; Kipkorir, Emmanuel Chessum; Ekisa, Tom George
Access to safe drinking water remains a challenge for most developing countries including Kenya, which is already classified as water-scarce. To enhance water supply to consumers, the Government of Kenya enacted the Water Act 2002 that opened the door for private sector to partner with the government to revitalize water service delivery. As a result, the government has partnered with the private sector and civil society organizations to enhance access to safe drinking water and sanitation services with a special focus on the materially-dispossessed households. However, the partnership is faced with challenges including inadequate resources and poor working relationship between the public and private sector. This paper assesses the impact of the partnership approach in scaling up water service provision in order to enhance its access by poor households. Household survey and key informants interviews were the main data collection methods and the collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study found out that Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach has enhanced water accessibility in Busia Municipality since the majority of households (84.4%) can access water within a distance less than one kilometre, however, the residents’ complaint of high water bills attributed to the private sector involvement