• Login
    View Item 
    •   MKSU Digital Repository Home
    • Research and Publications
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • View Item
    •   MKSU Digital Repository Home
    • Research and Publications
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Agrobiodiversity endangered by sugarcane farming in Mumias and Nzoia sugarbelts of Western Kenya

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Full text (542.4Kb)
    Date
    2014
    Author
    Netondo, Godfrey Wafula
    Waswa, Fuchaka
    Maina, Lucy
    Naisiko, Tabitha
    Masayi, Nelly
    Ngaira, Josephine K
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Commercial sugarcane farming has been practised in western Kenya for nearly forty years. This monocultural land use is associated with loss of natural vegetation and cropland, thus undermining food security status of a place. Further, sugarcane farming is a major contributor to loss of biodiversity in western Kenya. This study was therefore aimed at determining the long-term effects of sugarcane farming on indigenous food crops and vegetables in Mumias and Nzoia sugarbelts of western Kenya. Up to 188 respondents in three divisions of Mumias and 178 respondents of three divisions in Nzoia were purposively selected. These included small-scale and large-scale farmers. Data were collected using questionnaires, Participatory Rural Appraisal tool, interviews and field observations. Secondary data were obtained from documented materials. Land under indigenous food crops and vegetable has been declining since the introduction of sugarcane. Indigenous food crops and vegetable cultivation by farmers in the sugarbelts has been declining. Furthermore, some farmers have abandoned the growing of these crops altogether. Our results imply that sugarcane farming is a major contributor to agrobiodiversity erosion, but that there are also other important reasons such as change of consumer preference, land fragmentation, climate variability among others. In order to curb further loss of biodiversity, efforts should particularly focus on food crops and livelihood diversification and adoption of farming technologies such as agroforestry
    URI
    http://ir.mksu.ac.ke/handle/123456780/4710
    Collections
    • School of Environment and Natural Resources [101]

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of Digital RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsBy Submit DateThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsBy Submit Date

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV