TITLE:
Land Use and Land Cover Change along River Lumi Riparian Ecosystem in Kenya: Implications on Local Livelihoods
AUTHORS:
Leila A. Ndalilo, Elias K. Maranga, Bernard K. Kirui
KEYWORDS:
Land Cover, Land Use, Livelihoods, River Lumi and Riparian Ecosystem
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.11 No.3,
June
17,
2021
ABSTRACT: Riparian forests minimize impacts of land degradation on stream ecosystems
and provide direct and indirect benefits to people. However, these ecosystems
are threatened by degradation and deforestation attributed to land use changes.
River Lumi riparian ecosystem in Taita Taveta County in Kenya has experienced
rapid and extensive land use changes over the past three decades in response to
economic, institutional and demographic factors. There is growing concern of
riparian degradation attributed to land use change with far reaching
implications on local livelihoods. A study was conducted to examine the
patterns of land use and land cover change along River Lumi riparian ecosystem between 1987
and 2019. The aim of the study was to ascertain the impacts of land use and
land cover change on local livelihoods. Landsat images were used to assess land
use and land cover change while socio-economic data was collected from 353
households in Njukini, Chala and Mboghoni located in the upper, middle and
lower sections of River Lumi ecosystem respectively. Research evidence
authenticated that the area under farmlands, settlement and water body
increased by 20.5%, 112.1% and 2.3% respectively between 1987 and 2019 while
area under forest patches, grazing land and riverine vegetation decreased by
52.7%, 3.0%, and 36.6% respectively. The increase in population in
surrounding areas coupled with encroachment of the riparian areas for crop
farming and livestock grazing resulted to loss of riparian forest patches/vegetation
and associated biodiversity with negative implications on household
livelihoods. The implication of these results is the need for land use regulations
and management interventions at the County level to arrest further encroachment
of River Lumi riparian ecosystem and consequent loss of biodiversity and
livelihoods.