More people, more erosion? Land use, soil erosion and soil productivity in Murang'a district, Kenya
✍ Scribed by M. Ovuka
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2000
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 259 KB
- Volume
- 11
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1085-3278
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✦ Synopsis
Intensi®cation of land use can become a threat to agricultural sustainability if they lead to increased soil erosion. This study examines land-use changes, soil and water conservation, soil erosion and soil productivity in the Highlands of Kenya. In addition, it examines farmers' perception of livelihood changes. Land-use changes were determined from interpretations of aerial photographs taken in 1960 and 1996. Additional information on land use, soil and water conservation and livelihood changes were obtained from discussions and interviews with farmers, as well as from ®eld veri®cations of the most recent aerial photographs. Soil samples were analysed and soil erosion assessed according to the PLUS classi®cation scheme. The results indicate that substantial changes in land use, such as introduction of coee and high-yielding maize, and fragmentation of land holdings have taken place. Less land was conserved in 1996 as compared to 1960. Moreover, SWC practices have changed from terraces and shifting cultivation to bench terraces and permanent cultivation. Rates of soil nutrients (organic C, N and K) and maize-yield levels decreased signi®cantly with increasing erosion. Farmers' perception of livelihood changes was dierentiated according to farmers' o-farm resource 60 per cent of the farmers depended on income from the land and thought livelihoods were better in the 1960s. It is concluded that more eorts to decrease soil erosion and investments in land and labour are necessary to sustain soil productivity and hence secure rural livelihoods.