Abstract/Overview We quantified the soil carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes of five soil fertility management practices (inorganic fertilizer (Mf), maize residue + inorganic fertilizer (RMf), maize residue + inorganic fertilizer + goat manure (RMfM), maize residue + tithonia diversifolia + goat manure (RTiM), and a control (CtC)) in Kenya’s central highlands using a static chamber method from March 2019 to March 2020. The cumulative annual soil CH4 uptak...
Abstract: Green gram(Vigna radiataL.) has recently become an important crop in Kitui County because of its high economic returns and short growing season.The main objective of this study was therefore to develop a GIS-based Multi-criteria analysis for Green gram production in Kitui County using Geographic Information Sytem (GIS) based multi-criteria evaluation. Three main criteria were selected for analysis (soil, climate and topography) and 8 sub criteria (soil texture, soil depth, soil pH,...
Abstract: The Mara River is the lifeline of the Trans boundary Mara basin across Kenya and Tanzania. The basin is considered one of the more serene sub-catchments of the Lake Victoria Basin and ultimately the Nile Basin. The basin traverses the famous Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Parks in Kenya and Tanzania respectively. The basin also contains forests, largescale farms, smallholder farms, pastoral grazing lands, as well as hunter gatherers and fishers. There is growing concern however...
Abstract: Natural resource degradation and water scarcity are a global concern that threatens sustainability of smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). In ASALs, low adoption of Integrated Soil Fertility and Water Management (ISFWM) technologies has contributed to food and nutrition insecurity. A study was carried out to assess factors influencing smallholder farmers’ adoption decision of ISFWM technologies in Mwala and Yatta Sub-Counties. A questionnaire wa...
Abstract: This research study investigated the changes in the salinity composition and fluctuation of the Crocodile river and its catchment upstream of the Hartbeespoort dam covering the period of 1985 to 2015. By analysing the 35-year long-term data sets of nine monitoring stations in the study area’s catchment, various trends and patterns emerged. Maucha diagrams and various graphs were drawn by utilising the above-mentioned data sets. These Maucha diagrams and graphs indicated the chang...
Abstract: Land use changes, rapid population growth, poverty, climate change variability and lack of livelihoods diversification aggravate watershed degradation through inappropriate land use methods resulting to water scarcity, land and water pollution, and governance issues. Soil erosion and siltation has led to land denudation, habitat loss and farm lands losing their soil fertility and compromising food security. The main objective of the study was to find out how land use methods influe...
Abstract: Eight stations with over 30 years of rainfall record were selected in the dry region of Kenya, east of 37°E longitude, to study the nature of the crop growing seasons during the short and the long rains (October through June). The rainfall data were reduced to soil moisture based upon area wide assumptions on the soil characteristics. The start, end and duration of the crop growing seasons were determined and tested for normality using a 10 mm soil moisture threshold value at each...
Abstract: Conventional approaches to water management have traditionally treated social systems and ecosystems as distinct, and to a large degree have failed to achieve outcomes that are simultanously efficient, equitable, and sustainable. Perhaps nowhere has the need to reform the way water is managed and even conceived been more apparent than in South Africa in the last decade, where a tremendous opportunity for change has been created in the form of the National Water Act of 1998. In this...
Abstract: Despite the vital importance of reliable data sets on the current effect of seasonal rainfall variability on water resources in Lake Mutanda catchment of southwestern Uganda, little is known about the status of this phenomenon. Lake Mutanda and its catchment provide water for domestic use, and irrigation. This study was aimed to assess the effects of seasonal rainfall variability on physicochemical and bacteriological water quality of Lake Mutanda and its catchments, and to suggest...
Abstract: Currently, climate change and its impacts on natural resources are key issues in Ethiopia. The main impacts on natural resources include land degradation, soil erosion, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, recurrent drought and flood. In view of this, this study was initiated with the main objective of assessing the impact of watershed management on climate change adaptation in Gara Jeba watershed, Deder Woreda. To address the above objective, the study used both qualitative and qu...
ABSTRACT. Specific models for the design of pit latrines of different shapes and sizes are non-existent. What are available are general design guides irrespective of the shape and size of latrine which may not give the actual design parameters needed. Moreover, the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of pit latrine sludge samples investigated by some researchers were limited and could not give the actual situation in the pit latrines. The objectives of this research were to derive...
Abstract The focus of this research work is to derive a model that will be used to obtain the adsorption efficiency of an adsorbent for the removal of lead and copper from waste water. To date, the prevalence of adsorption separation remains an aesthetic attention and consideration abroad the nations owning to its low cost, simplicity of design, ease of operation, insensitivity to toxic substances and complete removal of pollutants even from solutions. The data points for this work were colle...
ABSTRACT Application of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (ITJCCP) of seven species of smoke fish at various locations around Shiroro Lake were evaluated. A Traditional Smoking Kiln and an Improved Traditional Smoking Kiln (control experiment),. This experiment was carried out for a period of sixteen weeks, using six hundred and seventy two(672)samples, sensory evaluation, proximate analysis, microbial identification, heavy metals and and Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbon in thesmoked seven...
ABSTRACT Smallholder farmers in Runyenjes are experiencing decline in agricultural productivity. The yield decline has been caused by degraded soils as a result soil erosion and inappropriate soil management, nutrients mining due to continuous cropping as well as leaching of minerals. To address these crop production challenges, there is need for balanced nutrient management options with appropriate tillage system. This study was therefore carried out under on-farm trials to: i) assess maize...
ABSTRACT This research work was conducted between March 2008 (before start of long rains) and August 2008 (the season for harvesting maize), in Sauri Millennium Village, sub location of Yala division, Siaya district, Kenya. The general objective of this study was the adoption of legume fallows in Sauri millennium village with specific objectives;- (i) To study the current status of legume fallows in Sauri millennium village (ii) To investigate the leguminous tree species for high fuelwood pr...