Indoor Air Pollution is the result of combustion of biomass fuels, which leads to 3-4 million deaths worldwide and 500,000 deaths in Africa annually. Indoor air pollution is known to cause respiratory illnesses among children under-5. In Nakuru 39.4% of urban dwellers live below the national poverty line of KSH 2,913 per person per month, thus their accessibility to energy sources is limited to charcoal, paraffin, and other biomass. The objective of this study was to assess the influence...
It is generally accepted that escalating concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are driving changes in climate patterns. Policy mechanisms such as ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation’ (or REDD+) aim to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere through compensating landowners to manage their land as carbon sinks. However, for such a scheme to succeed accurate quantification and reporting of the sequestered carbon must be conducted using verifiable metho...
Plastic waste has been and still is a major challenge and concern globally but more so in the developing countries. Plastic has been shown to impact negatively on marine life morespecifically marine animals. Watamu ward, in Kilifi County, Kenya, is an important breeding ground for the critically endangered turtles and is being affected by plastic waste. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics, disposal methods and management of plastic waste in Watamu, in order to contri...
ABSTRACT Fragmentation and its effects on avifauna is a study that was conducted in upper River Njoro watershed covering about 280km2 . The watershed is under threat from increasing human activities that have led to rapid changes in land cover and deterioration of environmental and habitat conditions for birds. These include replacement of indigenous trees with exotic types, clearing of riparian vegetation, cultivation of river banks, deforestation and forest fragmentation. The study’s mai...
ABSTRACT The mobility of nitrate-N (NO3-N), nitrite-N (NO2-N) and ammonium-N (NH4-N) down the soil profile and its ultimate presence in groundwater is aggravated by predisposing conditions such as farm agricultural activities and nitrogen fertilizer management, rainfall, seasons and well sanitary conditions. The main objective of the study was to assess the groundwater nitrogen loading compared in different farm sizes. The study was conducted in three agro-ecological wards of Ainabkoi sub-co...
ABSTRACT Geophagia is defined as deliberate consumption of earths’ materials e.g. soil, clay and soft stones. The practice is widespread among pregnant women and there are conflicting views as to whether it is beneficial to health or not. Geophagic materials may be a source of micronutrients though the materials may bind the micronutrients thus reducing or hindering their bioavailability in the body. Geophagia is closely associated with geohelminthic infections among pregnant women and hea...
ABSTRACT Climate change resulting from global warming is currently one of the global environmental issues of concern. Trees play a very important role in mitigating this problem through sequestrating carbon dioxide which is one of the major green house gases. The importance of trees is incontestable as they have many environmental, social and economic benefits. Effective community participation plays an important strategy for ensuring adequate tree cover but in some communities, some socio-c...
ABSTRACT In the ASAL part of West Pokot County the growing season for agricultural activities occurs during the peak rainfall season, during March, April and May (MAM) season. This study thus sought to quantify MAM rainfall variability and its associated impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Senetwo location where the study was conducted. This was achieved by analyzing daily rainfall data from 1983 to 2013 and household survey. Using data from a survey of 125 farm households, ...
ABSTRACT Floating macrophytes have the capacity to improve wastewater quality by absorbing nutrients thus purifying pre-treated wastewater and have been found to be more appropriate for effluent in developing countries. This is due to their effective and extensive root system and moderate capital investment required in their engagement in wastewater treatment. They are especially appropriate for tropical countries due to the warm climate experienced in these regions which support rapid plant...
ABSTRACT The informal sector is an engine of growth with more than 1.8 billion people globally and one billion workers in developing countries producing a greater portion of GD (25-60%) in developing countries. It provides employment opportunities to majority of the population in both developing and developed countries. However the sector is unregulated and recorded in government statistics. There are high and tragic incidences of occupational related accidents and injuries that go unabated i...
ABSTRACT Climate change coping strategies play a major role in curbing the effects of climatic shocks especially amongst communities living in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALS. The study revealed that there are various coping mechanisms applied by smallholder farmers in Kaloleni Sub County. These include marrying off daughters in order to get money for food purchase, stealing food from farm, water vending getting women to work outside home against traditions among others. Preferred coping met...
ABSTRACT Intensive agriculture and cut flower farming which are characterized by heavy use of pesticides and fertilizers have been on the increase in developing countries. A number of consequences are associated with heavy use of pesticides; however weak enforcement of laws and regulations suggests that their use will continue. There is a high possibility that Flower Farm Workers (FFW‟s) lack knowledge in handling, storage and use of pesticides in flower farms leading to increased incidenc...
ABSTRACT The Mara River basin is the lifeline to Maasai Mara Game reserve in Kenya and the Serengeti National park in Tanzania. Its major perennial tributaries are Nyangores and Amala both originating from Mau Escarpment. Unprecedented evidence on change of land use for development purposes in the upper catchment has affected the water quantity, quantity and the environmental sanitation in general. In addition, the municipal town of Bomet situated close to Nyangores River lack adequate sanit...
ABSTRACT The oil crops sector had been identified as one of the entry points in the execution of the food reliance and a vehicle for poverty reduction by government of Kenya (MoA, 2008). As a result many studies and development projects aimed at promoting soybean and sunflower in Kenya have been undertaken since the 1990s. While a lot of studies have been based on low adoption of these crops, challenges like gender roles, access to and control of the farmland remain undocumented. To address t...
ABSTRACT The efficiency of the sewage works depends on the quality and quantity of the influent and the design of the sewage works. Inefficiency of the sewage work has adverse health impact to the aquatic ecosystem. Pollutants can bio-accumulate and bio-magnify in the food chain causing health impact to both human being and wildlife. The main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of wastewater management system of Njoro industrial sewage works. This study used descriptive re...