Browsing by Author "Lelon, J.K."
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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 Evaluation of irrigation suitablility of Kalacha Irrigation Scheme Marsabit District. KARI-NARL-KSS D81 2006(Ministry of Agriculture, 2006) Muya, E.M.; Lelon, J.K.; Gitau, J.; Sikunyi, S.; Esilaba, A.O.; Ogara, S.; Maingi, P.M; Kenya Soil SurveySoil survey was carried out to collect the baseline data on biophysical characteristics of land resources with the following objectives: • To assess the water quality and its suitability for irrigation • To evaluate the current irrigation practices and their sustainability • To assess the potentials and limitations of soils for the envisaged crops • To identify appropriate land use and management alternatives for improved land productivity and diversified irrigated agriculture • To provide the framework for monitoring the impacts of the current and proposed intervention on the environmentItem Evaluation of soils, nutrients and ecological adaptations of indigenous Aloes in the drylands of Baringo, Laikipia, Nyeri and Nakuru Districts of Kenya. KARI-NARL-KSS NO.M84 2007(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2007) Mukonyi, K.; Lelon, J.K.; Muya, E.M.; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; Machua, J.; Kenya Soil Survey; Kenya Soil SurveyMost of the indigenous Aloes surveyed were found within Baringo District. In order to establish the cause of their edaphic adaptation in Baringo, a comprehensive study of soils, nutrients and climate was therefore undertaken in Baringo District.Item KARI-NARL-KSS - Soils of North Horr, their management problems and solutions for improved crops, gums and resins production.(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2008) Muya, E.M ; Lelon, J.K.; Muga, M.; Maingi, P.M.; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; Kenya Agricultural Research InstituteKenya 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 (ASAL). The land cover in the ASAls is generally poor with high degree of land degradation, caused mainly by limited organic inputs required to facilitate the biological processes and ecosystem functions that sustain land productivity. In addition, there is, generally, limited ecosystem capacity to intercept, store and redistribute the rainwater for agricultural production. In the face of rapid population growth and these constraints, it is going to be extremely difficult to maintain sufficiency in foodstuffs in the future. Therefore, an alternative means of survival is required, not only to improve agricultural production, but also to reverse the declining trends in soil productivity, caused by land degradation. Therefore, the main objective of Acacia Operation Project is to rehabilitate the degraded land and enhance its productivity for crops, gums and resins. This is will be achieved by mechanized water harvesting technologies called Delfino and Treno ploughs. The research areas include Sereolipi, Merille, Laisamis, Loglogo and North Horr indicated in location map.Item Preliminary Report on Biophysical Characterisation of DMF and AOP Project Sites Report NO.67(Ministry of Agriculture, 2005) Ogara, Z.; Muya, E.M.; Lelon, J.K.; Gitau, J.The fieldwork started from 2615105 to 22/6/05 for the DMP and AOP project areas in Matsabit district. The participants were: E. M. Muya, J. K. Lelon, K. Gitau and Z. Ogara. The objective of the study was to collect baseline data on biophysical characteristics for efficient use and management of scarce water and nutrient resources of DMP and AOP project areas. This was achieved by systematic soil and topographical surveys; identification and description of representative soil profiles; field measurements of soil physical properties and sampling of soil and water for laboratory analysis. Based on field measurements and observations, it was found that most of the research areas have compact soils, high surface sealing and restricted infiltration. In addition, these areas have low, unreliable and unpredictable single rainfall regime, hence poor plant performance. Although low rainfall amounts and poor distribution cause poor plant performance, low water uptake and retention capacity of most soils as well as inappropriate management practices also playa signiflCallt role. In Kalacha irrigation scheme, there has been a continuous decline in crop yield to an extent that most farmers have abandoned their field and reverted to alternative activities. In Logologo, high evaporation rate and limited water storage within the root zones cause severe desiccation, hence poor plant performance in microcatchments. Although reasonably g plant performance has been observed in Laisamis, non-uniformity of the performance in the same field is the major concern. This is opposed to Sereolipi, where the main problem is poor plant performance and severe physical degradation, affecting almost half of block 2 and 3.Item The relationships between vegetation, soils and ecosystem dynamics for land degradation control in Ngurunit, Marsabit district, 2006(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2006) Muya, E.M.; Lelon, J.K.; Kenya Agricultural Research InstituteNaturally growing or planted trees alone is not enough to control land degradation. Rehabilitation and sustainable use of the degraded ecosystems require integrated analysis of soil quality and vegetation as important components of ecosystem structure and functions. Such analysis forms basis of formulating the appropriate intervention strategies. This approach was applied in Ngurunit, and the results show that diversity in soil characteristics relates to diversity in plant species along the transect from the foot of Ndutu mountains to Lepidera. On the Acrisols, the main plant species are Acacia Senegal and comiphora, while Acacia tortilis occurs mainly on Lixisols, Arenosls and Solonetz. Acacia seyal, mellifera and ruficiens are found on the Vertisols. The degree of land degradation and the consequences of desertification processes also vary with different soil types. Land degradation is most severe on the red soils with compact B horizon occurring between steep mountain slopes and the low-lying plains. Use of micro-catchments between these slopes and the plains may not only check the run-off speed, but also increase the water uptake and storage capacity of the soil by breaking the compact layer. The run-off water, reaching the highly permeable plains, may provide the opportunity for increased water supply. This is because the water percolating through the soil may be tapped using shallow wells, which are cheap to construct, and can increase water supply, not only for domestic consumption, but also irrigation of the kitchen gardens for improved livelihoods.Item Water Use Efficiency and Biomass Assessment of Vallerani Micro-catchments at Laisamis Acacia Operation Project (AOP) Site 2007.(Kenya Agriculture Research Institute, 2007) Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; Lelon, J.K.; Muya, E.M.; Nganga, J.K.; Kimani, P.K.The Acacia Operation Project attempts to develop agro-silvo-pastoral systems in arid and semi-arid lands and improvement of the production of gums and resins, through a Mechanized Water Harvesting Technology (The Vallerani System). Natural gums and resins in sub-Saharan Africa may contribute to rural livelihoods of local communities in terms of food security, income generation and foreign exchange earnings. The main concern of these micro-catchments is whether they harvest adequate capacity of water and also store enough within the root zone at a level that will meet the crop water requirements throughout the growing season; and at the same time, check the run-off speed to a non-erosive value. The broad objective of the study is to rehabilitate the degraded areas of the project sites using Acacia senegal in a Vallerani micro-catchment system. Specific Objectives are: 1) To establish the experimental plot for monitoring and evaluating the effect of the micro-catchments in relation to the tree growth performance in the project site. 2) To evaluate and assess biomass production, water balance and water use efficiency in shallow, moderately deep and deep soil units in relation to good and poor oriented microcatchments. 3) To assess the extent and the degree of soil erosion in the experimental plot.
