The forest sector plays vital roles in the livelihood of the Kenyan population through provision ... more The forest sector plays vital roles in the livelihood of the Kenyan population through provision of invaluable forest related goods and services. Forests are important for conservation of biological diversity, supply of various wood and non-wood products, regulation of water supplies, carbon dioxide sequestration and are a major habitat for wildlife. It is estimated that 80% of the population use biomass energy while urban development and hydro energy rely heavily on water. In addition, the increasing population and poverty continue to exert pressure on the country " s forest resources. Kenya is internationally considered to be a low forest cover country as it has less than 10% of its total land area classified as forest. There is urgent need to put in place measures to significantly increase the area under forest cover, with the aim of attaining at least 10% within the next decade. This paper articulates that entrepreneurship driven by personality traits of the smallholder forest farmer is one of the interventions that can contribute to commercial forestry. Gender, age, level of education, years of previous employment, number of years in agro forestry, farming acreage, information sharing, farmer " s capital access from financial institution and investment were noted to be some of the personality trait factors that significantly influence exploitation of the commercial opportunities in forestry by smallholder farmers through planting improved varieties of eucalyptus varieties.
The introduction of improved Eucalyptus trees varieties to Kenya in 1997 from Mondi Forests in So... more The introduction of improved Eucalyptus trees varieties to Kenya in 1997 from Mondi Forests in South Africa by Tree Biotechnology Project (TBP) has rekindled tree-planting culture. Millions of seedlings have been distributed across the country. By administering questionnaires to a sample of 385 tree farmers in Lari District of Kiambu County, the study sort to empirically test the critical factors influencing the planting of improved Eucalyptus trees. The study revealed 63.6% of the farmers indicated the improved eucalyptus tree enterprises had complied with quality highly while 66.2% of them indicate that the improved eucalyptus tree seedlings enterprises had complied fairly with environmental safety.Covariance Matrix shows that although theoretically the factor scores should be entirely uncorrelated, the covariance is not zero, which is a consequence of the scores being estimated rather than calculated exactly. Hence there were factors that had no influence on the farmers' planting improved eucalyptus tree varieties in Lari District. The driver's of opportunity exploitation from this research, included risk aversion, opportunity for product differentiation, degree of control over production processes, skills to make it work and availability of ready market. These drivers are critical in any entrepreneurial process and underscore the premises that the trees farmers in pursuing the opportunity of improved tree varieties they were entrepreneurial. Policy interventions that can enhance these driver's would result in accelerated planting of more improved trees varieties.
This study documented the impacts of climate change in the pastoralist communities of northern Ke... more This study documented the impacts of climate change in the pastoralist communities of northern Kenya and their adaptation strategies. A sample of 350 households was used and data collected using household questionnaires, focused group discussions and key informant interviews. Other information was collected from grey literature. From the study the households understand the changes in climate and its impacts of their key livelihood source, that is, livestock. Chi square tests show a highly significant relationship between climate variability and impacts on livestock production and adaptation strategies. The impacts documented include weakened animals due to trekking long distances in search for pasture and water; loss of livestock due to lack of feed and water; limited/ lack of suitable feed and water; increase of pests and diseases and increased livestock-wildlife conflicts. Under climatic variability impacts, the community has over the years been practicing various adaptation options. These include investments in livestock species resilient to drought (there was a general shift towards camels); migration in search of pastures and water; livelihood diversification; livestock off take before a major drought; restocking and increase in the watering interval for all livestock. Diversification of livelihoods included arable/crop agriculture; business; remittances; relief supplies; informal employment and selling wood fuel. This was undertaken according to household's adaptive capacity. This information on livelihood diversification is critical and informs the national policy and planning sectors on climate change adaptation strategies in pastoral areas in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya.
Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation o... more Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula and Eucalyptus saligna are common exotic plantation species grown in high potential areas. They are characteristerised by fast growth resulting to removal of more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, little has been done in estimating aboveground and belowground carbon of these species. Therefore, this study sought to: estimate carbon sequestered by these species across ages and sites; and determine relationship between tree growth parameters and carbon biomass. The study was carried at Kiambu and Nyeri Counties in Central Kenya. A total of 99 plots measuring 20 by 50 m were established in government managed forest plantations of selected species stratified according to age and species in different forest compartments. Diameters at breast height, total height, crown diameter and crown depth were measured. CO2FIX V3.1 modelling framework was used in estimating carbon sequestered and linear mixed model used in the analysis of the data. There were significant differences (p=0.006) in the amount of carbon sequestered among species across sites. Eucalyptus saligna had the highest amount of carbon (247.9 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) sequestered in Nyeri South followed by Pinus patula (145.6 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Nyeri North and Cupressus lusitanica (98.4 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Kiambu. Significant differences (p<0.01) were evident across ages of three species and sites. Age accounted for 70% of the total variability in the amount of carbon sequestered. Growth parameters, aboveground and belowground biomass among three species across ages and sites were significantly correlated (p<0.01). In conclusion, estimates of carbon sequestered from selected tree species in Central Kenya, demonstrated a significant contribution towards emission reduction of harmful gases, specifically carbon dioxide.
Climate change is a great environmental challenge facing humanity today. In Yatta District, resid... more Climate change is a great environmental challenge facing humanity today. In Yatta District, residents report frequent crop failures, water shortages and relief food has become a frequent feature of their life. This study examines the adaptation strategies to climate change adopted by the dry-land farming communities in Yatta District. Study participants included 510 randomly sampled small-scale farmers. Key informants were district departmental heads from the Ministries of Water, Agriculture and Environment. Questionnaires, interviews, Focus Group Discussions and field observations were used to generate the data. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) whereas qualitative data was analysed through establishing the categories and themes, relationships/patterns and conclusions drawn in line with the study objectives. Findings indicate that most farmers adopted autonomous adaptation strategies that included planting drought tolerant crops (76.5%), charcoal burning (52.9%) and rainwater harvesting (20.2%) among others. Chi square results indicated that age, level of education and knowledge of climate change had significant influences on adaptation strategies. Some of these strategies had serious adverse environmental impacts on social, economic and biophysical domains of the environment like putting future agricultural production at risk since farms have been converted into sand mining fields. Major limitations to climate change adaptation were financial constraints (93.4%), lack of relevant skills (74.5%) and lack of scientific and technical knowledge (71.6%). The study concludes that farmers are engaging in adaptation strategies that are fundamentally changes in livelihoods and mainly unsustainable. Livelihood activities such as charcoal burning and sand harvesting in their fragile arid and semi-arid lands ecosystem are destructive and thus, not sustainable. These livelihood changes are significantly influenced by levels of education and climate change knowledge. The study recommends that agricultural extension services be enhanced to sensitize the farmers about climate change thus improving their perception and adaptation strategies.
Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation o... more Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula and Eucalyptus saligna are common exotic plantation species grown in high potential areas. They are characteristerised by fast growth resulting to removal of more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, little has been done in estimating aboveground and belowground carbon of these species. Therefore, this study sought to: estimate carbon sequestered by these species across ages and sites; and determine relationship between tree growth parameters and carbon biomass. The study was carried at Kiambu and Nyeri Counties in Central Kenya. A total of 99 plots measuring 20 by 50 m were established in government managed forest plantations of selected species stratified according to age and species in different forest compartments. Diameters at breast height, total height, crown diameter and crown depth were measured. CO2FIX V3.1 modelling framework was used in estimating carbon sequestered and linear mixed model used in the analysis of the data. There were significant differences (p=0.006) in the amount of carbon sequestered among species across sites. Eucalyptus saligna had the highest amount of carbon (247.9 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) sequestered in Nyeri South followed by Pinus patula (145.6 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Nyeri North and Cupressus lusitanica (98.4 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Kiambu. Significant differences (p<0.01) were evident across ages of three species and sites. Age accounted for 70% of the total variability in the amount of carbon sequestered. Growth parameters, aboveground and belowground biomass among three species across ages and sites were significantly correlated (p<0.01). In conclusion, estimates of carbon sequestered from selected tree species in Central Kenya, demonstrated a significant contribution towards emission reduction of harmful gases, specifically carbon dioxide.
The forest sector plays vital roles in the livelihood of the Kenyan population through provision ... more The forest sector plays vital roles in the livelihood of the Kenyan population through provision of invaluable forest related goods and services. Forests are important for conservation of biological diversity, supply of various wood and non-wood products, regulation of water supplies, carbon dioxide sequestration and are a major habitat for wildlife. It is estimated that 80% of the population use biomass energy while urban development and hydro energy rely heavily on water. In addition, the increasing population and poverty continue to exert pressure on the country " s forest resources. Kenya is internationally considered to be a low forest cover country as it has less than 10% of its total land area classified as forest. There is urgent need to put in place measures to significantly increase the area under forest cover, with the aim of attaining at least 10% within the next decade. This paper articulates that entrepreneurship driven by personality traits of the smallholder forest farmer is one of the interventions that can contribute to commercial forestry. Gender, age, level of education, years of previous employment, number of years in agro forestry, farming acreage, information sharing, farmer " s capital access from financial institution and investment were noted to be some of the personality trait factors that significantly influence exploitation of the commercial opportunities in forestry by smallholder farmers through planting improved varieties of eucalyptus varieties.
The introduction of improved Eucalyptus trees varieties to Kenya in 1997 from Mondi Forests in So... more The introduction of improved Eucalyptus trees varieties to Kenya in 1997 from Mondi Forests in South Africa by Tree Biotechnology Project (TBP) has rekindled tree-planting culture. Millions of seedlings have been distributed across the country. By administering questionnaires to a sample of 385 tree farmers in Lari District of Kiambu County, the study sort to empirically test the critical factors influencing the planting of improved Eucalyptus trees. The study revealed 63.6% of the farmers indicated the improved eucalyptus tree enterprises had complied with quality highly while 66.2% of them indicate that the improved eucalyptus tree seedlings enterprises had complied fairly with environmental safety.Covariance Matrix shows that although theoretically the factor scores should be entirely uncorrelated, the covariance is not zero, which is a consequence of the scores being estimated rather than calculated exactly. Hence there were factors that had no influence on the farmers' planting improved eucalyptus tree varieties in Lari District. The driver's of opportunity exploitation from this research, included risk aversion, opportunity for product differentiation, degree of control over production processes, skills to make it work and availability of ready market. These drivers are critical in any entrepreneurial process and underscore the premises that the trees farmers in pursuing the opportunity of improved tree varieties they were entrepreneurial. Policy interventions that can enhance these driver's would result in accelerated planting of more improved trees varieties.
This study documented the impacts of climate change in the pastoralist communities of northern Ke... more This study documented the impacts of climate change in the pastoralist communities of northern Kenya and their adaptation strategies. A sample of 350 households was used and data collected using household questionnaires, focused group discussions and key informant interviews. Other information was collected from grey literature. From the study the households understand the changes in climate and its impacts of their key livelihood source, that is, livestock. Chi square tests show a highly significant relationship between climate variability and impacts on livestock production and adaptation strategies. The impacts documented include weakened animals due to trekking long distances in search for pasture and water; loss of livestock due to lack of feed and water; limited/ lack of suitable feed and water; increase of pests and diseases and increased livestock-wildlife conflicts. Under climatic variability impacts, the community has over the years been practicing various adaptation options. These include investments in livestock species resilient to drought (there was a general shift towards camels); migration in search of pastures and water; livelihood diversification; livestock off take before a major drought; restocking and increase in the watering interval for all livestock. Diversification of livelihoods included arable/crop agriculture; business; remittances; relief supplies; informal employment and selling wood fuel. This was undertaken according to household's adaptive capacity. This information on livelihood diversification is critical and informs the national policy and planning sectors on climate change adaptation strategies in pastoral areas in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya.
Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation o... more Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula and Eucalyptus saligna are common exotic plantation species grown in high potential areas. They are characteristerised by fast growth resulting to removal of more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, little has been done in estimating aboveground and belowground carbon of these species. Therefore, this study sought to: estimate carbon sequestered by these species across ages and sites; and determine relationship between tree growth parameters and carbon biomass. The study was carried at Kiambu and Nyeri Counties in Central Kenya. A total of 99 plots measuring 20 by 50 m were established in government managed forest plantations of selected species stratified according to age and species in different forest compartments. Diameters at breast height, total height, crown diameter and crown depth were measured. CO2FIX V3.1 modelling framework was used in estimating carbon sequestered and linear mixed model used in the analysis of the data. There were significant differences (p=0.006) in the amount of carbon sequestered among species across sites. Eucalyptus saligna had the highest amount of carbon (247.9 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) sequestered in Nyeri South followed by Pinus patula (145.6 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Nyeri North and Cupressus lusitanica (98.4 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Kiambu. Significant differences (p<0.01) were evident across ages of three species and sites. Age accounted for 70% of the total variability in the amount of carbon sequestered. Growth parameters, aboveground and belowground biomass among three species across ages and sites were significantly correlated (p<0.01). In conclusion, estimates of carbon sequestered from selected tree species in Central Kenya, demonstrated a significant contribution towards emission reduction of harmful gases, specifically carbon dioxide.
Climate change is a great environmental challenge facing humanity today. In Yatta District, resid... more Climate change is a great environmental challenge facing humanity today. In Yatta District, residents report frequent crop failures, water shortages and relief food has become a frequent feature of their life. This study examines the adaptation strategies to climate change adopted by the dry-land farming communities in Yatta District. Study participants included 510 randomly sampled small-scale farmers. Key informants were district departmental heads from the Ministries of Water, Agriculture and Environment. Questionnaires, interviews, Focus Group Discussions and field observations were used to generate the data. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) whereas qualitative data was analysed through establishing the categories and themes, relationships/patterns and conclusions drawn in line with the study objectives. Findings indicate that most farmers adopted autonomous adaptation strategies that included planting drought tolerant crops (76.5%), charcoal burning (52.9%) and rainwater harvesting (20.2%) among others. Chi square results indicated that age, level of education and knowledge of climate change had significant influences on adaptation strategies. Some of these strategies had serious adverse environmental impacts on social, economic and biophysical domains of the environment like putting future agricultural production at risk since farms have been converted into sand mining fields. Major limitations to climate change adaptation were financial constraints (93.4%), lack of relevant skills (74.5%) and lack of scientific and technical knowledge (71.6%). The study concludes that farmers are engaging in adaptation strategies that are fundamentally changes in livelihoods and mainly unsustainable. Livelihood activities such as charcoal burning and sand harvesting in their fragile arid and semi-arid lands ecosystem are destructive and thus, not sustainable. These livelihood changes are significantly influenced by levels of education and climate change knowledge. The study recommends that agricultural extension services be enhanced to sensitize the farmers about climate change thus improving their perception and adaptation strategies.
Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation o... more Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinus patula and Eucalyptus saligna are common exotic plantation species grown in high potential areas. They are characteristerised by fast growth resulting to removal of more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, little has been done in estimating aboveground and belowground carbon of these species. Therefore, this study sought to: estimate carbon sequestered by these species across ages and sites; and determine relationship between tree growth parameters and carbon biomass. The study was carried at Kiambu and Nyeri Counties in Central Kenya. A total of 99 plots measuring 20 by 50 m were established in government managed forest plantations of selected species stratified according to age and species in different forest compartments. Diameters at breast height, total height, crown diameter and crown depth were measured. CO2FIX V3.1 modelling framework was used in estimating carbon sequestered and linear mixed model used in the analysis of the data. There were significant differences (p=0.006) in the amount of carbon sequestered among species across sites. Eucalyptus saligna had the highest amount of carbon (247.9 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) sequestered in Nyeri South followed by Pinus patula (145.6 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Nyeri North and Cupressus lusitanica (98.4 ± 44.4 MgC ha-1) in Kiambu. Significant differences (p<0.01) were evident across ages of three species and sites. Age accounted for 70% of the total variability in the amount of carbon sequestered. Growth parameters, aboveground and belowground biomass among three species across ages and sites were significantly correlated (p<0.01). In conclusion, estimates of carbon sequestered from selected tree species in Central Kenya, demonstrated a significant contribution towards emission reduction of harmful gases, specifically carbon dioxide.
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