Abstract/Overview Wood fuel shortage has existed worldwide since the 1970s during oil energy crisis; accelerating wood fuels scarcity hence coping strategies. This study on local community based strategy for curbing wood fuel shortages was conducted in Nyamache Sub-county, Kisii County, Kenya. The study assessed the establishment of woodlots as an affordable strategy adopted by the households for wood fuel availability. The specific objective analyzed the coping strategies adopted by the ...
Abstract/Overview Rainfall variability characterized by intense rainfall, more frequent droughts and unpredictable rainfall has devastating effects on rain-fed agriculture and dairy production in particular. Over the years, dairy cattle farmers in Keumbu Division have experienced fluctuations in milk production. The purpose of this study was to assess the coping and adaptation strategies employed by small-scale dairy farmers to counter the effects of climate change induced rainfall variab...
Abstract Lodging poses a significant challenge to rice yield, prompting the need to identify elite alleles for lodging resistance traits to improve cultivated rice varieties. In this study, a natural population of 518 rice accessions was examined to identify elite alleles associated with plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), stem anti-thrust (AT/S), and various internode lengths (first (FirINL), second (SecINL), third (ThirINL), fourth (ForINL), and fifth (FifINL) internode lengths). A tota...
Abstract Leptospirosis is an important re-emerging bacterial zoonosis of public health importance in Kenya. It is transmitted through contact with contaminated soil, water, or urine of infected animals. The disease is associated with high economic losses which include high cost of diagnosis and treatment, disruption of international trade in animals and animal products and loss of milk production following mastitis among others. In this study, the sero-prevalence of bovine leptospirosis in K...
Abstract/Overview Cassava (Manihot esculentaCrantz) is a major source of carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins (B and C), and essential minerals and is the third most important source of calories in the tropics. However, it is not clear if the traditional processing methods expose the products to microbial contamination.) is study assessed the levels of fungi and aflatoxin contamination in traditionally processed cassava products (Akuoga and Abeta). A total of 38 samples were collected from th...
Abstract/Overview A 16-week field experiment was carried out at Kaaka fish farm in Namutumba district to investigate the effect of dietary carbohydrate sources on the growth performance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L Fish fry of an initial mean standard length (SL) of 2.4cm were randomly introduced into experimental 12 pond units. They were subjected to three different test feeds possessing different sources of dietary carbohydrate namely maize bran (MB), cassava peels (CP) and ...
Abstract/Overview Intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis were surveyed in this study to determine their abundance and distribution in the lake and land aquatic habitats of Lake Victoria basin of Kenya. Several sites were sampled at eight locations, both in the lake and on the land. The habitat and/or vegetation type (i.e. open water, hippo grass, hyacinth, ambatch trees, other vegetation, stream, swamp, pond, dam) of the sampled aquatic sites within the locations were also differenti...
Abstract/Overview Background For most rural households in sub-Saharan Africa, healthy livestock play a key role in averting the burden associated with zoonotic diseases, and in meeting household nutritional and socio-economic needs. However, there is limited understanding of the complex nutritional, socio-economic, and zoonotic pathways that link livestock health to human health and welfare. Here we describe a platform for integrated human health, animal health and economic welfare analys...
Abstract/Overview Developing countries are endowed with abundant natural resources. They are also more reliant on natural resources given their limited technology and inadequate infrastructural development. Despite the abundance of such resources, many rural communities are struggling over access to natural resources including fish. Fishing households are faced with ever-declining fish catches and combined effort of overexploitation. The impacts have been severe, especially among small sc...
Abstract/Overview Different scholars have looked at the general economic impacts of the land reforms and legal implications at national level. However, a few studies have been done on economic history in Gusiiland. This study aimed at analyzing the impact of the colonial land tenure reforms on the Abagusii customary land tenure practices in Gusii, Kenya. This study used the articulation of modes of production theory to analyze the effects of land reforms on the Abagusii community from 189...
Abstract/Overview A number of scholars agree that farms which are cropped more frequently tend to exhibit lower levels of soil erosion than those that are cropped less frequently or left fallow. However, the effects of physiographic units on this relationship are not known. Most methods used to assess land degradation ignore the use of indicators of agricultural land use intensity and land degradation. They are too complex and ignore the role of physiography. This research looked at the e...
Abstract/Overview Globally, land tenure comes in different methods such as inheritance, renting, purchasing and land being offered as gift. Such practices have so far encouraged land fragmentation leading to small holdings which are uneconomical in terms of land use practices resulting into low yields. Such low food productions from small holdings in Ugunja coupled with poor food access from other sub-counties cannot sustain households up to the next harvest hence the problem of severe pe...
Abstract/Overview ABSTRACT: Soil has influenced progression of civilization in many regions because it supports food production. Growth in world population has been met by intensification of soil utilization which in turn has caused diverse changes in physical, biological and chemical properties of soil resource. In Nyakach Sub-county in western Kenya intensified agricultural production and soil degradation have proceeded hand-in-hand. This area portrays a mismatch between agricultural pr...
Abstract/Overview In developing countries, artisanal fisheries occupy a critical position in rural livelihoods. This is because fishing as an activity offers great opportunities for rural communities who have minimal resource endowment. In order to understand the diversity in artisanal fisheries communities’ livelihoods, analysis of socio-economic characteristics is important. This can help in designing appropriate strategies that are informed and knowledge based. In this paper, artisan...
The study examined smallholder yam farmer’s perception and response to climate variability and change. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the study districts, study communities and the sample size of four hundred respondents. Questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to elicit relevant information from the respondents. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, qualitative narratives, community resource maps, seasonal calendars...