Land and Water Management Research and Development in Arid and Semi-arid Lands of Kenya

Abstract

Increasing demographic pressure in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) in Kenya has resulted in the use of non-sustainable farming practices and subsequent environmental degradation, characterized by declining soil fertility, widespread land degradation and loss of biomass and biodiversity. Crop production is low and insufficient to meet the food demands of the increasing population. Thus, food insecurity is a major threat to the livelihoods of the resource-poor smallholder subsistence farmers in these areas. Due to the limited possibilities of increasing the area under cultivation, the solution to meeting the demand for food and surplus for sale by the rapidly increasing population lies in increasing productivity through development of simple, effective and sustainable integrated soil fertility and water management technologies. Consequently, a lot of research work aimed at developing appropriate soil and water management technologies for these areas has been undertaken by research and development organizations in Kenya. This chapter reviews, summarizes and highlights the major findings of research on options for improving soil fertility and for conserving soil and water in the ASALs. Socioeconomic factors are considered as well as their interaction with intervention measures such as tillage, water harvesting, soil conservation, integrated nutrient management, soil and water and crop management. The knowledge gaps in the various technological options tested are identified, and future research needs are suggested.