Riparian community perceptions of the extent and potential impacts of watershed degradation in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya

Abstract

Lake Victoria basin is Kenya’s greatest natural resource supporting millions of livelihoods within the western part of the country. The basin is currently experiencing heavy watershed degradation from development activities and land use changes, and most rehabilitation and management interventions seem ineffective. Appreciation of the local communities’ perception is imperative for achieving the protection, preservation, and prudent management of ecological resources within the watershed. This research was conducted using structured questionnaires administered to 3109 household heads from the riparian communities, focused group discussions with 80 participants, and 20 key informant interviews to explore the perceptions and opinions of local communities on ongoing environmental degradation and its impacts on their well-being. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis. Results indicate that agriculture is widely practiced in the Lake Victoria watershed. The watershed residents practiced crop farming, livestock rearing, and mixed farming. The intensive nature of these agricultural practices had deleterious effects on the watershed in terms of erosion and sedimentation of streams, rivers, and Lake Victoria. The perceptions of the residents on water quality, pollution level, environmental conservation issues, and their implications on their daily lives were consistent with the previously conducted social-economic studies, biophysical research, and limnological assessments within the KLVB, an indication that they have a profound understanding of the workings of the various ecosystems in the watershed. The survey participants’ perceptions were found to be influenced by their educational level as well as their duration of residency within the basin. The study concluded that the residents possess a profound understanding of the various ecosystems, and recommends a participatory multi-sectoral community-based watershed management approach as perceived by the local riparian communities.