Water scarcity remains a major development challenge in Kenya and particularly in the Arid and Semi-Arid lands (ASALs) like the Machakos County. Existence of few dams like Muooni dam, near the Kathiani market, has failed to deliver sustainable supply of water to the Mitaboni residents. Despite the emergence of small-scale water harvesting technologies, 54% of the households in Mitaboni still take more than one hour to carry water to their homes. This study sought to assess the existing small-...
Human activites have shaped the world over the years. Survival instincts prompted early man to explore his immediate natural surroundings and try many plants, animal products and minerals to develop a variety of therapeutical agents. W.H.O currently encourages, recommends and promotes research and inclusion of herbal drugs into national health care programmes. Indiscriminate destruction of forests and wood lands has led to reducing biodiversity that is increasingly causing disappearance of in...
Information on pesticide residue occurrence in hive products is scanty or lacking yet it is important so as to safeguard human health from effects of pesticides. The aim of the study was to identify and quantify neonicotinoid residues in hive products. The study was undertaken for 6 months between (March-August, 2015) at Kiambu and Nairobi Counties. The objectives of the study were to find out the pesticides used in the cultivation of crops, the frequency of use and the concentration of neoni...
Agriculture sector in Kenya has remained pivotal to the national economy with a direct relationship between its performance and overall national economic growth. Agricultural production is nonetheless constrained by various diseases, insect pests, and low soil fertility thus necessitating mitigation by use of agrochemicals which are, however, potentially harmful to man and the environment. The broad objective of this research was to assess the human and environmental health risks posed by t...
Plant genetic resources are a key component of global biodiversity from which humanity derives most of its food and other essential goods and services. An understanding of the extent, distribution, and patterns of genetic variation is useful for several purposes, including selection for conservation, estimation of any possible loss of genetic diversity prior to conservation programs, understanding the genetic variability available and its potential use in breeding programs, and estimating t...
ABSTRACT Currently the world is embracing renewable energy not only to enhance energy capacity but also to mitigate problems associated with green house gas emissions. North eastern Kenya region lagged behind others parts of the republic in social economic indices. This may be attributed to the fast distance between the region and the electricity generation areas. Therefore northern Kenya is not connected to national electricity grid. Renewable energy from the wind can be used to supply elec...
ABSTRACT Nutrient mining and mismanagement of farmers’ fields has led to a decline in soil fertility in smallholder farms. In order to increase the productivity and subsequently improve food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is a need to identify soil nutrients limiting maize growth and production. The objectives of the study were; (i) to determine the most limiting nutrients for maize production in Kandara and establish the effect of selected soil amendments (CaMgS, manure and ...
ABSTRACT Plastic waste material continues to present environmental challenges throughout the world. Of greatest concern is their disposal in agricultural soils where they interfere with soil fertility due to its inability to decompose fast. Specifically, the research examined under experimental conditions the crop germinative emergence of (Zea mays L.) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) as affected by plastic waste material commonly disposed in urban and rural environments of...
ABSTRACT One of the major challenges to sustainable use of wetlands is lack of awareness by communities on the values of these ecosystems. Wetland resources are important for socio-economic, cultural and ecological supply of goods and services. Despite their importance, wetlands have remained unprotected and they are exploited beyond what they can endure. The main objective of the study was to establish the effects of natural resource based conflicts on community livelihoods in Ol‟Bolossat...
ABSTRACT One of the greatest environmental challenges in the 21st century is ensuring successful implementation of participatory community based waste management practices in cities particularly in slums and informal settlements. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between socio-economic exclusion and community based waste management practices in Kibera informal settlements, Nairobi County. To achieve the study objectives this study was guided by Marxist theoretical framework o...
ABSTRACT Fresh water bodies constitute a vital component of a wide variety of living environments as integral water resource base in many human societies in the world. Water hyacinth has invaded Freshwater systems in over 50 countries on five continents and changes to its density have the potential to affect other ecological and human communities in areas where it is established either positively or negatively. The hyacinth, since its introduction in Kenya, has been a menace to the riparian c...
ABSTRACT Contamination of fresh water sources with heavy metals found within the agricultural areas is largely contributed by amongst other factors, application of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. Removal of heavy metals from the contaminated waters using conventional methods is cost prohibitive and more importantly less effective especially when concentration of heavy metals is low. As a result, use of alternative technologies such as phytoremediation is being promoted. Phytoremediation...
ABSTRACT The world population was at 7.3 billion people in 2015, and is projected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion people in 2100. Population in the developing countries which Kenya is part of is expected to rise from 5.9 billion in 2013 to 8.2 billion in 2050 to 9.6 billion in 2100. Increasing human population and the threats posed by climate change continue to put pressure on the already limited environmental resources that support life on earth. This is evident in the case of ...
ABSTRACT River Nyangores experiences an all year round forage detrital input with previously unknown breakdown fate. Determination of in-situ processing coefficients of forage allochthonous detritus is important as it provides critical indication on: the level of biochemical oxygen demand, the rate at which food nutrients are distributed downstream, monitoring ecological changes in the aquatic ecosystem and as a climate change mitigation response for riparian forage agriculture. The study was...
ABSTRACT Increased demand for tree products has raised demand for tree production and need for site matching. The main aim of this study was to explore tree seed sources and determine the influence of seed distribution to site matching. The specific objectives were (i) to determine the main category of tree seed source relied for seed production by formal and informal sectors; (ii) seed tree abundance in each category of tree seed sources within two study sites; (iii) to determine the influen...