Browsing by Author "Keya, G."
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Item Characterization of AOP Project sites for Gums and Resins production: Integrating Socio-Economic issues with biophysical information for the rehabilitation of the degraded arid and semi-Arid lands in Kenya. KARI-NARL-KSS M 90 2006(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2006) Muga, M.O.; Esilaba, A.O.; Keya, G.; Wanjogu, C.R.K.; Maingi, P.M.; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; Muya, E.M.; Lelon, J.K.Kenya is an agricultural country, depending almost entirely on land productivity for subsistence and socio-economic development. However, about two-thirds of the country is semi-arid to arid. Rainfed agriculture is confined to the remaining one-third of the country. The pressure is exerted on the fragile ecosystems that characterize these lands by the rapidly increasing population, thereby increasing land degradation. Since the main objective of Acacia Operation Project is to rehabilitate the degraded land and enhance its productivity for gums and resins, baseline information on the current state of land degradation is required against which the impacts of the proposed intervention and relative degree of desertification in future can be assessed. This has been done by evaluating the interactions between climate, relief, soils, vegetation and land cover, and their influence on biological functions, at both national, regional and site levels. Also, the indicators of land degradation have been reviewed. At the micro-catchment level the physical, hydrological and biological properties of soil have been evaluated as the basis of comparing the impacts of Delifino and Treno ploughs in rehabilitating the degraded land.Item Enhancing Sorghum Production and Marketing in Semi-Arid Kenya(Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, 2014) Karanja, D.R.; Kisilu, R.K.; Kathuli, P.; Mutisya, D.L.; Njaimwe, A.N.; Keya, G.; Ouda, J.; Ayemba, J.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationSorghum is an important food security crop especially in semi-arid lands of Kenya. It is adapted in a wide ago-ecological zones. Sorghum requires less water than maize thus offering great potential for supplementing food and feed resources. Although sorghum varieties with a yield potential of 2 to 5t/ha are available, their productivity has remained low, at 0.7t/ ha. The major constraints to sorghum production are: inadequate soil moisture, low soil fertility, bird damage, pests and diseases, high cost of inputs, low adoption of improved varieties, weeds, lack of markets and limited utilization options. Farmers consider lack of markets, low producer prices and bird damage as the main constraints to increased sorghum production. Most sorghum is grown at altitudes of less than 1500 m above sea level. However there are varieties suitable for up to 2400 m a.s.l. It requires a rainfall of 250-400 mm during the growing season. Most dry land sorghum cultivars are those that thrive best in areas with a small range of diurnal temperatures i.e. the day and night temperatures do not differ greatly. Sorghum does best in wide range of soils including sandy, clay and loamy ones. It thrives well on fertile soils but will grow on somewhat exhausted soils.
