0099-B1
Mary Mwaura[1]
Mount Kenya is a major landmark in Kenya, particularly in the Eastern and Central provinces of the country. It is the highest mountain in Kenya, standing at 5 200 m above sea level. The area surrounding Mount Kenya is very rich in agricultural production and Meru Central District is one among six Districts surrounding Mount Kenya.
The main challenge in the mountainous area is the high demand for wood products that is outstripping supply due to population pressure. Timber merchants are thus over-exploiting the indigenous trees for commercial purposes, with total disregard for environmental impact. This form of wood harvesting has led to the upsetting of the ecosystem balance.
This report looks at the natural and human activities that degrade the development being undertaken in these ecosystems and more so at the success and disappointments in the mountain environment development activities. The methodology involved interviewing local communities, specific site visits and assessment of the impact of work undertaken in the catchments/focal areas by the soil and water conservation section in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Mt. Kenya is a major land mark in Kenya and more so in Eastern and Central provinces of the country. It is the highest mountain in Kenya standing at 5,200 m a.s.l. The area surrounding Mt Kenya is very rich in agricultural production and Meru Central District is one among six districts surrounding fragile ecosystems that are susceptible to degradation.
Meru Central district is characterised by valleys, hills and plains, with ten major rivers emanating from mount Kenya. The district area is 3,000 square kilometres, out of which 1,600 square kilometres is arable land, 1,000 square kilometres is gazetted forest and 400 square kilometres is mount Kenya National Park. The District population is 0.5 million people according to 1999 census report. Thus most of the human activities and initiatives are carried out in the mountainous landscape surrounding fragile ecosystems that are susceptible to degradation.
This report looks at the natural and human activities that degrade the development being undertaken in these ecosystems more so at the success and disappointments in the mountain environment development activities. The methodology involved interviewing local communities, specific site visit and impact of work undertaken in the catchments/focal areas by the Soil and Water Conservation section in the Ministry of Agriculture, in the Division bordering the mountain areas.(Timau, Nkuene, Abogeta, Abothuguchi west and Igoji).
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It is noted that both human and natural activities contribute greatly to mountain environment degradation. Due to human increased demand for cash income, exploitation of the mountain environment in ways that generate income disregarding the environmental impact is the order of the day. Some of these activities include:- |
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(i) Cultivation and overgrazing in the mountain and hilltops. This has a direct bearing on acceleration of soil erosion by water and wind. |
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(ii) Wanton cutting of indigenous trees on points/sites known to be natural water sources as springs and streams. Such trees include 'Mugumo' Mukundukundu' and thus cutting of these trees has resulted in drying up of water resources. |
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(iii) Road construction works: Where by drainage channels collect a lot of run- off and discharges it into the farms without proper management, and thus causes severe erosion. |
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(v) Fires: Lit in the forest especially during harvesting honey. |
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(vi) Waste. There are dumping sites in the forest, resulting in bad smell, corrosion and pollution of water. |
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Further to the above factors, there are others considered natural or beyond the control of human activities. These include: |
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Droughts: Are becoming a common phenomena leading to drying up of some streams and springs, resulting in water volume reductions in the main rivers and drying of the vegetation and shedding of leaves by trees. |
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Floods: Notably the 1997/1998 El-nino rains which resulted in severe soil erosion, due to mountainous terrain |
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Diseases and pests: That affects plants, leading to death of the plants and hence less vegetation cover, that leads to accelerated erosion. |
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Wild animals: This aspect is common in areas around the game parks and reserves, where elephants stray into farmlands, trampling on crops, causing crop damage and accelerating erosion. Also chewing some of the trees in the forest. |
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Wind: Whirlwind on bare grounds leading to soil erosion |
A Concerted effort and campaign has been undertaken to alleviate the human and natural activities degrading the mountain environment. Some of the efforts and campaign include:-
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Shift of policy to in favour of integrated water resources management. Whereby communities form water users association to regulate water abstractions and proper sanitation to avoid pollution of water sources |
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Community education on soil and water management/water harvesting and agro-forestry by agricultural extension. |
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Community education on the importance of indigenous tree species and need to preserve them as a source of bio- diversity, water, timber and medicine. |
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Strict guarding and scouting of the gazzetted forests by forest department and Kenya wildlife services. |
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Proper land husbandry practices emphasized on the hills and mountains. Some of these include: terracing, contour ploughing, runoff management, and conservation agriculture. |
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Erection of solar electric fence along forest boundary to prevent wild animals especially elephants from destroying crops in the adjacent farms. |
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Re-afforestation of areas where trees have been cut. Mainly by communal groups, an example of this is Imenti- Kuuru forest working group. |
The main challenge is the high demand for wood that is outstripping supply due to population pressure. Timber merchants are thus over - exploiting the indigenous trees for commercial purposes, with total disregard for environmental impact. This form of wood harvesting has led to upsetting of the ecosystem balance.
The main reason for this is lack of proper mechanism to ensure controlled exploitation of forest products, as tree harvesting was previously allowed only for those old trees that had fallen down due to age. However with time, timber merchants/loggers and some dishonest officers in the provincial administration and forest department colluded to allow cutting of standing live tree species as for timber and poles. This situation has been aggravated by limited resources for monitoring the on- going activities in this mountainous environment especially in the forest.
To address these challenges it is recommended that research be conducted to establish the demand of tree products in the light of increased population pressure and demonstration project be established with the objective of finding out the farmers' preferences on use of various forest tree specifies as for timber, medicine, fodder and fruits. As this demonstration project will be aimed at replacing lost species of indigenous trees in the farms, this is bound to reduce forest and mountain environments encroachment and ensure more high value tree species are readily available at farm level.
The national soil and water conservation program (NSWP) was a country wide that lasted for 26 years from 1974 to July 2000. In the last 10 years of the program a lot of emphasis was put on catchment approach. This involved concentration of efforts and resources in a catchment/focal area for one year and working with farmers/land users in participatory manner. In identifying problems opportunities and planning. With agricultural extension taking a leading role in technology dissemination in soil and water conservation and proper land husbandry practices. This program and approach was very highly rated and here we share some main experiences on success and disappointments.
It is noted that the catchment approach to soil and water conservation (SWC), through the participatory learning and action methodology, empowered the local communities to take charge of their development affairs through the catchment committees. Thus there was great achievement in conservation on the mountainous areas. And at the moment there is noticeable SWC measures, structures and practices, some which include: Terraces, cut - off drains, grass strips, water harvesting/management structures, and proper land husbandry practices.
There is good evidence of well protected river banks and water sources as springs in the mountainous and hilly areas And the moment there is noticeable SWC measures, structures and practices, some which include: terraces, cut -off drains, grass strips, water harvesting/management structures, and proper land husbandry practices.
There is good evidence of well protected river banks and water sources as springs in the mountainous and hilly areas, this is encouraging in view of high population. In addition to this, there are a number of group nurseries that act as a source of tree seedling s for the farmers/land users. This is evidenced by high density of trees in the farms (Agro forestry) and specially grevillea robusta.
Though the NSWC project operated in catchments/focal areas, in a participatory manner, there were cases whereby some farmers/land users fail to undertake the recommended measures. Due to the steep terrain in these areas, runoff from such farmers has been devastating on neighboring well conserved farms. Further, catchment committees formed have in some instances disintegrated or ended their responsibility within a short period after one year. Under such circumstances sustainability of the good land husbandry practices has been wanting. On the other hand farmers/land users have been expecting hand outs/incentives/rewards, in -order to sustain their work and responsibility.
Department collaboration/Partnership has been lacking. A case in point is with roads and local government authority, in management of run off from roads and infrastructures as market centers, schools and public utilities. While the agricultural extension has been intensifying efforts in run off management, actual tangible support on the ground by the relevant departments like the two has not been there.
The land users in the mountainous areas of Meru central district exploit their environment to sustain their livelihoods. This is evidenced by the successes in SWC efforts recorded by the NSWCP in improved and sustainable land husbandry practices, terracing, runoff water harvesting/management and agro-forestry. Of significant importance is grevillea robusta agro-forestry that has made the whole district look like a forest.
Human activities on mountainous areas have had a negative effect on sustainable development. This has been aggravated by the need for cash income for improved livelihood in the areas. Thus the local people rely very much on the mountain as a resource of income, disregarding bio- diversity sustainability. In the old days there were traditions/taboos, that helped to sustain mountain development. However, of late with a dwindling agricultural sector, the local people are exploiting the mountain environment to earn a day to day living.
The impact of prevalent droughts and drying of springs and water sources in the district has aroused attention, locally and nationally. Thus there are efforts at local and national level towards conservation and preservation of mountain environment in a sustainable manner.
| [1] District soil conservation
officer, P.O. Box 12 Meru. Tel: 254 – 164 - 20755/6, Fax: 254 –164
– 30291; Email: [email protected] |