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"This paper is based on a study conducted in Isiolo District of Kenya between 2002 and 2003 in collaboration with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology; the Ministry of Water Resources Management and Development-District Water Office, Isiolo; the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development-Isiolo and Meru Dryland Farming Proj...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... general, rangeland productivity is related to rangeland health and vitality, while range condition is the relation between present potential and productivity (Pratt and Gwynne 1977). The map of the range condition ( figure 10) shows that about 40 percent of the district has good grazing resources in terms of biomass and species. These are the areas where the vegetation comprises Sporobolus-Chrysopogon-Acacia recifiens, Dactylocterium-Leptothrium-Duospherma, and Cordia-Acacia tortillas-Commiphora species, and covers parts of the northeast in Merti District and parts of the southeast in Kinna Division. ...
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"This paper uses the concepts of hydronomics as systems of rules that define water management and terranomics as systems of rules that define land management and explores their linkages in rainfed agriculture and irrigation areas in the Nyando basin. The upper reaches of the basin have experienced a change from large scale commercial farming to mor...
Citations
... [25]. The pastoralists occupy the driest lower parts of the basin, where pasture and water shortages are common occurrences, especially during the dry season [26]. Due to land use changes and expansion of cultivation, livestock herd sizes have been reducing especially among the pastoralists [27], while natural grasslands have become denuded. ...
... Kenya is associated with excessive water abstractions resulting in drying up of rivers and streams (Lanari et al., 2016). Pastoralists occupy the driest downstream parts of the basin, where shortage of pasture and water scarcity occur, especially during the dry season (Notter et al., 2007;Mati et al., 2005). Due to land use changes and expansion of cultivation, livestock herd sizes have been reducing especially among the pastoralists (Mwangi et al., 2020), while natural grasslands have become denudated. ...
... Nomadic pastoralists and their livestock, as well as wildlife in the lowlands, are particularly affected. They endure long distances for people and animals to reach water points (Mati et al., 2005). They also move to upstream areas in the search of water and pasture. ...
... At the household level, fetching water and fuel wood is the responsibility of women and girls. During drought they, are forced to travel long distances in search of water for domestic use, especially in the drier zones (Mati et al., 2005). ...
... The county climate is hot and dry for most of the year. The county receives annual rainfall ranging between 100-750 mm [5] and records mean annual temperatures ranging from 24°C and 30°C [8]. ...
Lack of access to drinking water mostly affects the sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, since 2000, access to safe drinking water has increased by 12 per cent, while access to basic sanitation has fallen by five per cent. The Italian NGO LVIA – Lay Volunteers International Association – has been working in Kenya for more than 50 years to improve living conditions of the beneficiary populations, also with interventions in the water sector that contribute to the achievement of the No.6 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation. Since 2012, several international cooperation projects have been carried out in collaboration with the pastoral communities of the rural areas of the Isiolo County. Isiolo County, located in Northern Kenya, has been plagued for years by severe droughts and floods that put a strain on water access and the already precarious water infrastructure. In this study, we present the rehabilitation of water supply systems in the villages of Duse, Bulesa/Godha, Sericho, Gafarsa, Oldonyiro, Kipsing, Kinna affected by floods at the end of 2019. In addition, the rehabilitation of Boji village water supply system will be described, as an example of good practise for implementing small community water supplies. In particular, the construction of water kiosks, livestock troughs, solar pumping system from boreholes with an associated diesel generator backup system will be presented, as well as, the establishment of a water service pricing system, and the training of the water management committee.
... A study assessing water availability in Isiolo County, Kenya in 2002-2003(Mati et al 2005, found that out of a total of 71 boreholes mapped, 39 were operational in wet season conditions but only 11 ...
... This is illustrated in a study of 12 water pans In Isiolo County in 2002-2003, which found that only one was operational throughout the year, five were operational during the wet season and six suffered from high siltation (Mati et al 2005). Siltation and lack of maintenance were major reasons for the limited role water ponds played for livestock and domestic use in Borana, Ethiopia in 2018 (Cullis et al 2018). ...
Evaluating the functionality of water investments in the drylands
... Improved health and knowledge strengthen the human resource base, and education in particular, will be essential to increasing employment opportunities outside agriculture. Other initiatives can include the provision of subsidized drought crops/hay or the delivery of other grasses to support the natural pastures for herders [48], the provision of adequate water points and early warning system to better manage livestock production and marketing [49,50]. Such initiatives can improve food and nutrition security through increased and regular incomes, increased employment of rural families, especially the youth, the encouragement of the growth of the business culture in the management of livestock assets by pastoralists, diversification of the business portfolio for farmers, the reduction of livestock mortality and improved water supply and building resilience and sustainable rural livestock-based livelihoods [51,50]. ...
This paper presents a review of the literature on food and nutrition security in Kenya’s arid counties. It also provides strategies that can be adopted to improve food and nutrition security in the counties. Due to their aridity, they are associated with low economic, health, literacy and food and nutrition security indicators. They bear the brunt of food and nutrition insecurity and a proportionately higher percentage of their population faces starvation, whenever droughts occur. Stunting and wasting in the region’s children averages 28 and 14%, respectively. The figures compare poorly with the national averages of 4% and 11%, respectively. As the indices are related to quantity, diversity and quality of food intake, there is need to reduce food and nutrition insecurity in these Counties. Past efforts to reduce food and nutrition insecurity have failed, due to lack of long-term commitment from the National-level of Government, the use of inefficient farming technologies and low level of mechanization. Poverty, low and unpredictable rainfall for rain-fed agriculture, inconsistent livestock marketing of poor quality livestock, high crop production costs, high food prices also contribute to food and nutrition insecurity of the region. To improve food and nutrition security, it is recommended that the National-level of Government cedes the implementation of food production programmes to County Governments, while it strengthens food production policies, diversification of livelihoods and supports resilience-building. Other recommendations include innovating solar and wind-power devices to run machinery for food production, processing and preservation. Improvements in water harvesting, storage and pumping with wind and solar-powered equipment can also be explored. These improvements should eventually reduce dependence on food importation, which raises food prices, and de-incentivizes local farmers. Diversification of livelihoods, good governance and the application of appropriate technologies in food production, value addition and cooperation of the two levels of Government, are likely to gradually improve access and availability of quality and affordable food. The potential result is an improving food and nutrition security situation in Kenya’s arid Counties.
... This cross-sectional study was undertaken around Isiolo town, located in Isiolo County in central Kenya. Isiolo County is classified as arid or semi-arid with an annual rainfall of approximately 150-250 mm [30]. The camel population in the region was estimated to comprise of 45,309 individuals [31] distributed over 2,050 camel milk producers [32] out of a total human population of 268, 002 individuals [33]. ...
Background
Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus , (GBS)) is the leading cause of mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland) among dairy camels in Sub-Saharan Africa, with negative implications for milk production and quality and animal welfare. Camel milk is often consumed raw and presence of GBS in milk may pose a public health threat. Little is known about the population structure or virulence factors of camel GBS. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of camel GBS and its implications for mastitis control and public health.
Results
Using whole genome sequencing, we analysed 65 camel milk GBS isolates from 19 herds in Isiolo, Kenya. Six sequence types (STs) were identified, mostly belonging to previously described camel-specific STs. One isolate belonged to ST1, a predominantly human-associated lineage, possibly as a result of interspecies transmission. Most (54/65) isolates belonged to ST616, indicative of contagious transmission. Phylogenetic analysis of GBS core genomes showed similar levels of heterogeneity within- and between herds, suggesting ongoing between-herd transmission. The lactose operon, a marker of GBS adaptation to the mammary niche, was found in 75 % of the isolates, and tetracycline resistance gene tet (M) in all but two isolates. Only the ST1 isolate harboured virulence genes scpB and lmb , which are associated with human host adaptation.
Conclusions
GBS in milk from Kenyan camel herds largely belongs to ST616 and shows signatures of adaptation to the udder. The finding of similar levels of within- and between herd heterogeneity of GBS in camel herds, as well as potential human-camel transmission highlights the need for improved internal as well as external biosecurity to curb disease transmission and increase milk production.
... For example, providing water for livestock involves drilling and maintaining emergency and contingency boreholes. In areas where water is provided to facilitate grazing during a drought, the boreholes concerned should be closed during periods of average rainfall to discourage environmental degradation around the waterpoints (Mati et al. 2005). ...
The management of rangelands, including climate change adaptation strategies, is primarily responsible for stimulating livestock productivity, which consequently improves food security. This paper investigates the impact of climate change adaptations on food security among pastoralists in semi-arid parts of Kenya, who have not received due attention to date. Using an endogenous switching regression model, the current study revealed that pastoralists’ food security increased significantly when they employed measures to adapt to climate change. The study results also showed that wealthier households and those with more livestock were more food-secure than comparatively poorer households or those with less livestock. Furthermore, the study uncovered a high prevalence of food security among more educated households. The paper therefore recommends that, in Kenya’s semi-arid lands, where pastoralism is the primary means of livelihood, policies advocating adaptations to climate change should be strengthened. Also fundamental to building pastoralists’ adaptation strategies are the consistent monitoring of climate change, the use of early warning systems, and the communication of pertinent information to farmers—and particularly to pastoralists.
... The East African drylands face numerous challenges linked to climate variability and change. The area is characterized by low erratic rainfall with as low as less than 200 mm per annum and frequent droughts and floods (Mati et al., 2006). Temperatures are high throughout the year resulting in high rates of evapotranspiration, while the soils are of low fertility and susceptible to erosion (Njoka et al., 2016). ...
... Isiolo County was selected for this study because it is an arid and semi-arid region, drought is the major natural hazard [9,10], and rainfall has decreased since the 1970s and is projected to continue to decrease (Funk et al., 2010). Additionally, Isiolo County suffers from high rainfall intensities with poor temporal and spatial distribution [53]. Recent major drought events occurred in 2014, 2011, 2009, and 1984 [3]. ...
Globally, drought impacts more people than any other natural hazard. However, drought is also the most complex natural hazard, and its impacts are not evenly distributed across the landscape or among human populations. Just as the impacts of drought vary, so do the coping strategies used by people during drought. The research to-date on drought coping strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa are highly quantitative, focused on top-down interventions, and do not emphasize individual perceptions, experience, and autonomous decision-making when coping with drought. This paper aims to fill these gaps by examining the human experience of coping with drought through narratives from farmers in Burat and Kinna, Isiolo County, Kenya. This paper highlights (1) their perceived impacts of drought, and (2) the various coping strategies used. A total of 83 interviews were conducted in 20 households. Results found that the perceived impacts of drought were decreased agricultural productivity, livestock hunger, death, and relocation, a lack of water in rivers, human hunger and disease, and violent conflict. The strategies for coping with drought included changing agricultural practices, adopting irrigation, relying on aid, charcoal burning, casual labor, livelihood diversification, and others. Importantly, these coping strategies can be classified into four categories: livelihood diversification, longer-term livelihood strategies, short-term coping activities, and erosive coping strategies. This research contributes to the effort to better document and understand farmers’ perceptions and strategies to cope with drought through qualitative research methods and from the perspective of the individual smallholder farmer, which is important for making context-specific policy and project recommendations aimed at smallholder farmers.
... In view of the aforesaid factors, the DRASTIC Index provides only a relative evaluation tool and is not designed to provide absolute answers. Therefore, DRASTIC is a reconnaissance tool, but has proven its value as an indicator of areas deserving a detailed hydrogeological evaluation (Mati, 2005). ...
