Abstract Coordination of Cash Transfer Programmes(CTP) is very important in achieving better humanitarian assistance in times of disasters and emergenciesbecause it saves resources, avoids conflicts, evades duplications and gaps, minimises thedifference between programs as well as thwartsinflation to local markets.Theuse of CTPto provide humanitarian assistance so that people access goods and services they need before, during and after crisis has been gaining momentum particularly since 2010...
Abstract Disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies play a pivotal role in formalizing and enhancing the efficacy of disaster risk reduction efforts. The overall objective of this study was to assess the progress the African Union member states are making in developing DRR strategies as required by Target E of the Sendai Framework. The study used both qualitative and quantitative approaches where an in-depth desk review of DRR strategies and online questionnaires were administered to 53 respon...
Abstract/Overview Background: Vector-borne diseases are increasingly becoming a major health problem among communities living along the major rivers of Africa. Although larger water bodies such as lakes and dams have been extensively researched, rivers and their tributaries have largely been ignored. This study sought to establish the spatial distribution of mosquito species during the dry season and further characterize their habitats along the Mara River and its tributaries. Methods: In...
Abstract/Overview Among all the malaria controlling measures, biological control of mosquito larvae may be the cheapest and easiest to implement. This study investigated baseline predation of immature mosquitoes by macroinvertebrate predators along the Mara River, determined the diversity of predators and mosquito larvae habitats and the range of their adaptive capacity to water physico-chemical parameters. Between July and August 2011, sampling sites (n=39) along the Mara River were sele...
Abstract/Overview Background Physical objects like vegetation can influence oviposition by mosquitoes on soil or water substrates. Anopheles gambiae s. l. is generally thought to utilize puddles over bare soil as its prime larval habitat and to avoid standing water populated with vegetation. In Kisian, Kenya near Kisumu, water often pools in grassy drainage areas both during and after periods of infrequent rains, when typical puddle habitats become scarce because of drying. This raised th...
Abstract/Overview Anopheles gambiae s.l. (Diptera: Culicidae) is responsible for the transmission of the devastating Plasmodium falciparum (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) strain of malaria in Africa. This study investigated the relationship between climate and environmental conditions and An. gambiae s.l. larvae abundance and modelled the larval distribution of this species in Baringo County, Kenya. Mosquito larvae were collected using a 350-mL dipper and a pipette once per month from Decemb...
Abstract/Overview A novel rickettsial agent, ‘Candidatus Rickettsia asembonensis’ strain NMRCiiT, was isolated from cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, from Kenya. Genotypic characterization of the new isolate based on sequence analysis of five rickettsial genes, rrs, gltA, ompA, ompB and sca4, indicated that this isolate clustered with Rickettsia felis URRWXCal2. The degree of nucleotide similarity demonstrated that isolate NMRCiiT belongs within the genus Rickettsia and fulfils the cr...
Abstract Environmental degradation and loss of resources that requires conservation is a pressing developmental issue. The scope of study Public participation is emphasized as a factor by Public participation bill 2018 and remains a critical determinant in environmental conservation in Kakamega County to safeguard the environment against further degradation The overall objective of the study was to evaluate the contribution of public participation in environmental conservation .The specific ...
Abstract Climate variability which is a reality in Kenya is manifested by fluctuations in climatic parameters, low agricultural production, land fragmentation, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity. Addressing climate variability requires the use of ecologically based traditional climate smart agriculture systems such as agro forestry. In the past decade human lives, crops and livestock worth millions of shillings have been destroyed by increased intensity of extreme weather events in K...
Abstract/Overview A number of scholars agree that frequent cultivation raises soil bulk density through compaction and destruction of soil structure. However, no research has been conducted to establish how the intensity of farmland cultivated varies with soil bulk density in different physiographic units. High soil bulk density lowers root penetration and seed germination and therefore can be used as a measure of land degradation. Likewise the intensity of farmland cultivated can be used...
Abstract/Overview Periodic flooding is a menace to agricultural activities in such regions due to disruptions on farmlands, grazing grounds, sweeping of human beings and animals, and socio-economic livelihood and infrastructure of the residents. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of flooding on socio-economic livelihood of the households living in Lower Kano plain, Kisumu County. The study was conducted at Lower Kano plain for a period of three months and targeted 950 ...
Abstract Mining is an economic activity that has been practiced for time immemorial. Land degradation from old mines operations is known in almost all the countries but they have been few systematic surveys to quantify the nature of associated problems so as to prioritize remediation action. There is knowledge in the techniques of rehabilitating both operational and abandoned sites yet there is still delay in remediation action. The enforcement of the Environmental Management and Co-ordinati...
Abstract his work studies variations of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) during four distinct solar eclipse events over the Ethiopia region. Dual-frequency global positioning system (GPS) data obtained from UNAVCO over Addis Ababa (9.036°N, 38.76°E) and Bahir Dar (11.6°N, 37.34°E) stations are used to examine the ionospheric variability during two annular solar eclipses on 15 January 2010 and 1 September 2016, a partial solar eclipse on 4 January 2011, and a hybrid solar eclipse ...
Abstract/Overview Carbon nanomaterials have recently attracted wide scientific applications due to their tunable properties. These novel materials act as best fillers that can provide substantial benefits due to their high strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivities. With their huge applications as bulk materials, when implemented in polymer matrix as fillers, they give rise to new promising materials with which their properties can be tuned to suit a particular applicat...
Abstract/Overview A magnetically active nanocomposite material has been synthesized from the reaction mixture of magnetite core iron nano-particles electrostatically coated with SiO2, hydrotalcite nanosheets ([Eu8 (OH) 20 (H2O)n] 4+), and decatungstophosphate anion ([α-PW10O367−]). The resulting nanocomposite material, denoted as Fe34@SiO2@LEuH@PW10, is demonstrated to effectively adsorb chromate anions from aqueous solutions, the adsorption isotherms fit the Langmuir model with a capa...