Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Agroforestry Tree and Shrub Species Diversity on Small-Scale Farms in Kisumu County, Kenya

Melvin Ofulla; James Biu Kung'u; Benson Kamau Mburu

doi:10.37284/eajfa.6.1.1460

Melvin Ofulla Kenyatta University
James Biu Kung'u, PhD Mama Ngina University College
Benson Kamau Mburu, PhD Mama Ngina University College

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajfa.6.1.1460

Keywords: Agroforestry, Diversity, Socio-Economic Factors, Climate change, Natural Resources

Share Article:

Abstract

Kenya is one of the developing countries experiencing rise in demand for arable land and tree products. This has led to the scarcity of available land for productive agriculture. To improve this situation, agroforestry technologies have been assimilated in many regions in Kenya. However, at the local level in Kisumu County, agroforestry technologies are yet to be adopted effectively for agrobiodiversity improvement. This study therefore sought to determine the socio-economic factors influencing the diversity of tree and shrub species of agroforestry on the small-scale farms in Kisumu West Sub-county. Descriptive research was undertaken and respondents were selected through proportionate stratified random sampling. Use of questionnaire instruments together with Key Informant Interviews were employed to 404 household heads and forest officers respectively in Kisumu West Sub-county. Inventory data of tree species was conducted on each of the sampled farm plots and together with the questionnaire data; Microsoft Excel and SPSS software were used for exploratory statistics, tree diversity measurement, chi-square and regression analysis tests. Diversity of agroforestry tree species was analysed using Shannon-Wiener Index. The results showed that the most abundant tree species were Eucalyptus spp and Grevillea robusta. The overall Shannon-Wiener Index was 1.9311 which was regarded as very low. In the study, there was a significant positive relationship between gender, level of education completed by household head, household size and the species diversity. In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between farm size and species diversity. The study recommends that information on socio-cultural factors such as education and gender, in addition to economic factors such as the farm size, that influence diversity should be a priority to the development partners and even to the local communities

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abebe and Sewnet, A.M. (2014). Adoption of soil conservation practices in North Achefer District, Northwest Ethiopia. Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment 12 (3).

Abebe, T., Sterck, F.J., Wiersum, K.F. & Bongers, F. (2013). Diversity, Composition and Density of Trees and Shrubs in Agroforestry Home gardens in Southern Ethiopia. Agroforestry Systems 87:1283–1293.

Alufah, S., Shisanya, C. A., & Obando, J. A. (2012). Analysis of Factors Influencing Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies in Ngaciuma Sub-Catchment, Kenya. African Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 4(5), 172–185.

Andahi, A.W. (2016). Socio-Economic Determinants of Sustainable Land Management Practices among Smallholder Farmers in Sabatia Sub-County, Kenya. University of Nairobi.

Appiah, M. & Pappinen, A. (2010). Farm Forestry Prospects Among Some Local Communities in Rachuonyo District, Kenya. Small-scale Forestry 9 297-316

Asse, R. & Lassoie, J.P. (2011). Household decision-making in agroforestry parklands of Sudano-Sahelian Mali. Agrofor Syst 82:247–261

Baliton, R.S., Landicho, L.D., Esparanza, R. and Castillo, A.K. (2020). Ecological Services of Agroforestry Systems in Selected Upland Farming Communities in the Philippines. Biodiversitas 23 707-717

Basamba, T., Kiiza, B., Mayanja, C., Nakileza, B., Matsiko, F., Nyende, P., and Kukunda, E. (2012). Linking Markets to Smallholder Agro-forestry Farmers as a Strategy for Poverty Alleviation in the Tropics.

Beatrice, J., Oduol, A., & Franzel, S. (2013). Assessing Market Potential of Agroforestry Tree Seedlings in Western Kenya.

Bhattarai, S. (2020). Agroforestry Practices and Their Contribution to Biodiversity and Rural Livelihoods in Bundikali Rural Municipality of Nawalparasi District , Nepal, pp. 1–99.

Boffa, A. (2022). Enhancing farm tree diversity as a means of conserving landscape-based biodiversity, Bio 25 (3) 212–217, https://doi.org/10.1659/0276-4741 (2005)025[0212:EFTDAA]2.0.CO;2.

Bommarco, R., Kleijn, D., Potts, S.G. (2013). Ecological intensification: harnessing ecosystem services for food security. Trends Ecol Evol, 28:230-238.

Bongers, G. (2010). Dynamics in People-Tree Interactions in Farm Fields Farmers’ Perspectives in Meskan District, Ethiopia.

Buyinza, J. (2015). On-farm conservation and use values of indigenous trees species in Uganda, Res. J. Agric. For. Sci 3 (3) (2015) 2320–6063

Chirwa, P.W., Mala, W. (2016). Trees in the landscape: towards the promotion and development of traditional and farm forest management in tropical and subtropical regions. Agrofor. Syst. 90 (4) 555–561, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-016-9987-y.

FAO. (2013). Agroforestry, food and nutritional security. In I. K. Dawson, F. Place, E. Torquebiau, E. Malézieux, M. Iiyama, G. W. Sileshi, … R. Jamnadass (Eds.), Background Paper for the International Conference on Forests for Food and Nutrition (p. 22). Rome: FAO.

Fisher, L. (1998). Sampling procedure for social surveys.

Gachie, P., Kipsat, J., Cheboiwo, J., Esitubi, M., Mwaura, J., Wairimu, P. and Gathogo, M. (2021). On-Farm Tree Growing Opportunities and Constraints in Murang’a County, Kenya. E. Afri. Agri. For. J. 53 -65

Gebreegziabher, Z., & Mekonnen, A. (2010). Household Tree Planting in Tigrai , Northern Ethiopia. 2473(432).

GoK (2018). Taskforce Report on Forest Resources Management and Logging Activities in Kenya. Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Government of Kenya.

Gomiero, T. (2016). Soil degradation, land scarcity and food security: reviewing a complex challenge, Sustain. Times 8 (3) (2016) 1–41, https://doi.org/10.3390/ su8030281.

Guenat, S. (2014). Assessing the Effects of Agroforestry Practices on Biological Control Potential in Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala) Plantations in Western Kenya. Uppsala.

Hauck, J., Gorg, C., Varjopuro, R., Ratamaki, O., Jax, K. (2013). Benefits and limitations of the ecosystem services concept in environmental policy and decision making:

Iiyama, M., Derero, A., Kelemu, K., Muthuri, C., Kinuthia, R., Ayenkulu. E., Kiptot, E., Hadgu, K., Mowo, J. and Sinclair, F.L. (2017). Understanding patterns of tree adoption on farms in semiarid and sub-humid Ethiopia. Agroforest Syst 91:271–293. DOI 10.1007/s10457-016-9926-y

Jose, S. (2009). Agroforestry for ecosystem services and environmental benefts: an overview, Agrofor. Syst. 76 (1) 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-009-9229-7.

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) (2019). Kenya Population and Housing Census. Volume 1,3. Population by county and sub-county. Republic of Kenya.

Khadka, D., Aryal, A. Bhatta, K.P., Dhakal, B.P., Baral, H. (2021). Agroforestry systems and their contribution to supplying forest products to communities in the Chure range, central Nepal, Forests 12 (3) 1–20, https://doi.org/10.3390/f12030358.

Khan, M., Mahmood, H.Z., Abbas, G., Damalas, C.A. (2017). Agroforestry systems as alternative land-use options in the arid zone of Thal, Pakistan. Small-scale For 16(4):553–569. https ://doi.org/10.1007/s1184 2-017-9372-3. Retrieved 21 September 2018

Kharal, D.K. & Oli, B.N. (2009). An Estimation of Tree Species Diversity in Rural Farmland of Nepal. Banko Janakari 18.

Kinuthia, R.W. (2020). Farmers’ Perceptions and Adoption of Micro Catchments for Improved Establishment of Agroforestry Trees in East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Master’s thesis. Kenyatta University.

Kiptot, E and Franzel, S. (2011). Gender and Agroforestry in Africa: Are Women Participating? Available at http://www.worldagroforestry.org/.Retrieved on March 10 2022

Kisumu CIDP (2013). Kisumu County Integrated Development Plan. Kisumu County.

Kisumu CIDP (2018). Kisumu County Integrated Development Plan. Kisumu County.

Mekonnen, A., & Damte, A. (2011). Private Trees as Household Assets and Determinants of Tree-Growing Behavior in Rural Ethiopia. Environment for Development. Efd DP 11-14.

Mueller, D, Mburu, J. (2017). Forecasting hotspots of forest clearing in Kakamega, Western Kenya. For Ecol Manag 257:968–977

Mugure, A.S. (2013). Factors Influencing Adoption of Agroforestry Practices

among Rural Households in Nambale Division, Busia County, Kenya. Master’s thesis. University of Eldoret.

Mwangi, E., Cerutti, P. and Nasi, R. (2018). State of the Forests of Eastern Africa, EUR 29251 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2018, ISBN 978-92-79-86634-0, doi:10.2760/885568, JRC111239

Najma, D., Mutunga, C.N. and Katja, K. (2016). Socio-economic and biophysical factors affecting tree richness and diversity in Machakos County, Eastern Kenya. International journal of plant, animal and environmental sciences 6.

Ndegwa, G., Iiyama, M., Anhuf, D., Nehren, U., Schluter, S. (2016). Tree establishment and management on farms in the drylands: evaluation of different systems adopted by small-scale farmers in Mutomo District, Kenya. Agroforest Syst DOI

Nduati, P.K. (2015). Determinants of Performance of Agroforestry Projects in Mbooni Division, Makueni County, Kenya. Master’s Project presented at University of Nairobi, Kenya

Nyamweya, J.M. (2017). Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors that Affect Agroforestry Adoption among Smallholders in Temiyotta Location, Nakuru County. Master’s Research Project presented at Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Okioma, M.M. (2008). Socio-economic factors influencing the intensity of households’ adoption of agroforestry practice: A case study of Shibuye Location, Kakamega County. Master’s thesis. University of Nairobi.

Okuthe, I.K. (2018). Determinant of the Adoption of Integrated Natural Resource Management Technology by Small Scale Farmers in Ndhiwa Division, Kenya. Doctor’s thesis. Maseno University

Oloo, J.O., Makenzi, P.M., Mwangi, J.G. & Abdulrazack, A.S. (2013). Dominant tree species for increasing Ground Cover and their distribution in Siaya County, Kenya. Journal of Agriculture innovations and Research, 2(3): 373-377.

Schroth, G., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Harvey, C.A., Gascon, C., Vasconcelos, H.L. & Izac, A.M.N. (2013). Agroforestry and Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Landscapes, Island press.

Simpson, E.H. (1949). Measurement of Diversity. Nature 163, 688 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/163688a0

Smith, R.M., Thompson, K., Hodgson, J.G., Warren, P.H. & Gaston K.J. (2006). Urban domestic gardens (IX): composition and richness of the vascular plant ﬂora, and implications for native biodiversity, Biol. Conserv. 129 (3) 312–322, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.045.

Tejeda-Cruz, C., Silva-Rivera, E., Barton, J.R. & Sutherland, W.J. (2010). Why shade coffee does not guarantee biodiversity conservation, Ecol. Soc. 15 (1), https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-02870-150113.

Vignola, R., Harvey, C.A., Bautista-Solis, P., Avelino, J., Rapidel, B., Donatti, C., Martinez, R. (2015). Ecosystem based adaptation for smallholder farmers: definitions, opportunities and constraints. Agric Ecosyst Environ 211:126–132.

Wangoi, J.N. (2020). Factors affecting the Adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural Practices among Smallholder Farmers in Bungoma County, Kenya. Master’s thesis. Moi University.

Wanjira, E.O. (2019). Smallholder farmers’ perception and practice of on-farm tree species diversification in Siaya County, western Kenya. Masters’ thesis presented at School of Environmental Studies, Kenyatta University. Nairobi, Kenya.

Zomer R, J., Trabucco, A., Coe, R., Place, F., Van-Noordwijk, M., Xu, JC. (2014). Trees on farms: an update and reanalysis of agroforestry’s global extent and socioecological characteristics. Working Paper 179. Bogor, Indonesia: World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Southeast Asia Regional Program.