Yazan Elhadi

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Papers by Yazan Elhadi

The link between seasonal climatic variability and poverty: a case study of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Baringo District, Kenya

Second RUFORUM Biennial Regional Conference on "Building capacity for food security in Africa", Entebbe, Uganda, 20-24 September 2010., 2010

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Food poverty among pastoral communities in dryland Kenya

Résumé Research Application Summary Food poverty among pastoral communities in dryland Kenya Yaza... more Résumé Research Application Summary Food poverty among pastoral communities in dryland Kenya Yazan Elhadi1, Nyariki, D.1 & Wasonga, V.1 1Drylands Resource Management, University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 30198, Nairobi, Kenya Corresponding author: [email protected] The dryland area of Kenya has the highest poverty incidence compared to other areas in the country; this is why poverty reduction has been a key government policy goal especially in these areas. These regions are predominantly inhabited by pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities. The combination of food poverty and lack of alternative livelihood made them vulnerable to extreme climatic condition and change. This study was carried out in larger Baringo District to examine food poverty and the coping mechanisms employed by agro-pastoralists and semi-nomadic pastoralist in dryland Kenya. Results reveal that there is a high poverty incidence and severity among the two communities. At the peak of the food shortage, agro-...

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Drivers of forage availability: An integration of remote sensing and traditional ecological knowledge in Karamoja sub-region, Uganda

Pastoralism, 2015

Low-input pastoral production systems provide up to 90 % of livestock and livestock products cons... more Low-input pastoral production systems provide up to 90 % of livestock and livestock products consumed in Uganda. However, pastoral communities are increasingly faced with the challenge of meeting their livestock needs in terms of forage, a situation exacerbated by climatic variability. The study identified the patterns of forage availability and quality, compared perceived patterns of forage availability with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and determined drivers of forage availability in Karamoja sub-region. Over a 12-month period, 75.3 % of the respondents perceived forage to be sufficiently available with differentiated availability in the livelihood zones and between livestock species (goats, sheep, cattle, donkeys and camels). A similar pattern was observed with regard to perceived forage quality. A significant relationship between perceived forage availability and long-term mean monthly NDVI dynamics was observed. A lag time of 2.9 months existed between rainfall and vegetation response peak periods. Mean monthly rainfall pattern was found to be correlated with perceived forage availability. The length of residence by a livestock keeper, frequency of grazing, number of kraals, presence of governing rules, and presence of conflicts and knowledge of pasture locations, restricted movement and ease of access to grazing areas significantly (P ≤ 0.05) were the major perceived drivers of forage availability. Therefore, we find that pastoral communities in Karamoja have detailed traditional ecological knowledge of forage status and their perceived determinants. There is a need to conduct nutritional analysis of key forage species available in the different livelihood zones. Finally, there is a need to constantly monitor socio-political conditions that have potential of creating 'artificial' forage shortage in the sub-region.

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The link between seasonal climatic variability and poverty: A case study of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Baringo District, Kenya

Résumé Research Application Summary Poverty remains rampant in the dry districts of Kenya so that... more Résumé Research Application Summary Poverty remains rampant in the dry districts of Kenya so that it has now become an important item on Kenya’s development agenda. The dry districts of Kenya receive low amounts of rainfall, which is also erratic. These regions are predominantly occupied by pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities. Seasonal climatic variability effects these groups differently and therefore impacts on their livelihoods differently. We report in this study the relationship between seasonal climatic variability and poverty in pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities of Baringo district, Kenya. There was more poverty in the dry than wet seasons. In addition, the number of livelihood sources, distance to market, ownership of livestock enclosure were positively related to per capita daily income. Cultivators were better off than non-cultivators, while education level and access to extension sources positively influenced household income. We recommend a diversifi...

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Agriculture and Econmic Growth: Theory and Measurement

Transient Poverty Among Pastoral Households in the Semi-Arid Lowland of Baringo District, Kenya

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Grass seed value chain analysis in the Southern Kenya range lands of Makueni and Kajiado Counties

Fifth African Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Biennial Conference 2016, "Linking agricultural universities with civil society, the private sector, governments and other stakeholders in support of agricultural development in Africa", Cape Town, South Africa, 17-21 October 2016, 2016

Democratising climate finance at local levels

Giving favoured access to climate finance and clean technologies is critical to enabling developi... more Giving favoured access to climate finance and clean technologies is critical to enabling developing countries to transit to a low carbon economy and society. Global climate finance to developing countries is set to rise with the establishment of the Green Climate Fund. To be effective, climate finance must reach and be prioritised by the communities that need it most and be used to fund solutions that work on the ground. To achieve this, mechanisms need to be put in place to channel the money from the national level to local communities in a way that is transparent, participatory and efficient. The institutional architecture of existing devolved or decentralised government provides a ready-made framework which offers good value for money and will be sustainable as finance flows increase in the future. The authorsâ€™ analysis of the Adaptation Consortium in Kenya indicates that devolved County Climate Change Funds are proving to be an effective mechanism to deliver climate finance in...

Determinants of pastoral and agro-pastoral households’ participation in fodder production in Makueni and Kajiado Counties, Kenya

Pastoralism, 2018

Fodder production has been regarded as one of the suitable strategies for increasing feed availab... more Fodder production has been regarded as one of the suitable strategies for increasing feed availability for enhanced livestock production among pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in the drylands of Kenya. Previous studies indicate that factors determining participation in these practices vary from time to time and from one location to another. This study was conducted to assess the socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing households' participation in fodder production in Makueni and Kajiado Counties. Data was collected from 216 households through interviews using semi-structured questionnaire. Results indicate that gender of household head, education, social/development group membership and access to extension services were the most important factors influencing households' participation in fodder production. There is need for technical support to the pastoral and agro-pastoral households towards starting and/or joining existing social groups, through which extension and training services can be offered. This would go a long way in enhancing fodder production in the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya.

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Non-timber forest products and their contribution to households income around Falgore Game Reserve in Kano, Nigeria

Ecological Processes, 2017

Introduction: In the recent decades, there has been growing interest in the contribution of non-t... more Introduction: In the recent decades, there has been growing interest in the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to livelihoods, development, and poverty alleviation among the rural populace. This has been prompted by the fact that communities living adjacent to forest reserves rely to a great extent on the NTFPs for their livelihoods, and therefore any effort to conserve such resources should as a prerequisite understand how the host communities interact with them. Methods: Multistage sampling technique was used for the study. A representative sample of 400 households was used to explore the utilization of NTFPs and their contribution to households' income in communities proximate to Falgore Game Reserve (FGR) in Kano State, Nigeria. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze and summarize the data collected. Results: The findings reveal that communities proximate to FGR mostly rely on the reserve for firewood, medicinal herbs, fodder, and fruit nuts for household use and sales. Income from NTFPs accounts for 20-60% of the total income of most (68%) of the sampled households. The utilization of NTFPs was significantly influenced by age, sex, household size, main occupation, distance to forest and market. Conclusions: The findings suggest that NTFPs play an important role in supporting livelihoods, and therefore provide an important safety net for households throughout the year particularly during periods of hardship occasioned by drought. It is suggested that stakeholders should prioritize technical and financial support programs on agricultural value addition and handcrafts that would promote off-farm income generating activities, in addition, provision of alternative domestic cooking energy such as biogas in communities proximate to FGR in order to reduce pressure relating to fuelwood gathering from the forest, this will help to improve forest resources quality.

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Value chain analysis of grass seeds in the drylands of Baringo County, Kenya: A producers’ perspective

Pastoralism, 2016

Pastoral households are increasingly practising fodder production in response to forage scarcity ... more Pastoral households are increasingly practising fodder production in response to forage scarcity associated with land degradation, climate variability and change. Understanding the grass seed value chain is a prerequisite for developing sustainable fodder production and guiding appropriate out-scaling in the drylands. This study investigated the producers' perspectives on grass seed production, marketing and challenges faced along the grass seed value chain in Marigat Sub-County of Baringo County, Kenya. The results show that the dominant actors were the bulking and processing agents who provided inputs and were a source of grass seed market to the producers. The producers preferred contractual agreements that allowed them to sell their grass seed to markets of their choice. As independent grass seed traders allowed for seed price negotiation, they were popular amongst the producers and thus handled the most volume of seeds marketed. Drought occurrence, inability of existing outlets to purchase grass seed at times, together with low prices offered for producers' grass seed were found to be among the challenges facing the producers. There is need to strengthen the fodder groups with a possibility of registering them as cooperatives for the purpose of collective bargaining for better grass seed prices.

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Economic and nutritional contribution of camel milk in Northern Kenya: A field study in Isiolo County

Economic contribution of the camel milk trade in Isiolo Town, Kenya

Role of camel milk in pastoral livelihoods in Kenya: contribution to household diet and income

Pastoralism, 2015

Pastoral livestock production in Kenya is subject to unpredictable rainfall and drought occurrenc... more Pastoral livestock production in Kenya is subject to unpredictable rainfall and drought occurrences. These adverse climatic conditions have led to vulnerable and insecure pastoral livelihoods. Despite the potential to alleviate food insecurity of pastoral communities through continuous provision of milk and other products, the potential of camel milk is yet to be fully explored. This study was carried out to examine the contribution of camel milk to pastoral household food baskets and incomes. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information targeting camel milk producers in Isiolo County, upper eastern region of Kenya. The findings show that camel milk contributes significantly to pastoral households. The contribution of the milk to a household food basket was found to be significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) during the dry season than in the wet season. Camel milk sales contributed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) to household incomes throughout the year. These results show the role of camel milk as a complementary source of food and income for pastoral households. Therefore, interventions aimed at supporting pastoral households need to consider the promotion of camel milk production and marketing as an option for building pastoralists' resilience against unpredictable weather.

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Current Incidence and Future Prospect of Poverty and

This paper aims to investigate income poverty and inequality in the agricultural sector of Sudan.... more This paper aims to investigate income poverty and inequality in the agricultural sector of Sudan. Poverty and inequality indicators were computed using both primary and secondary data sources. Secondary data sources include books, periodical reports and journals from relevant institutes, while primary data were collected through direct interviews with farmer's household heads using questionnaire. Two stage stratified simple random sampling techniques was applied. 720 household heads from the three farming systems (traditional, semi-mechanized and irrigated) were interviewed. To establish the poverty line, the study used the calories intake and the cost of basic need approaches. The common food basket consumed by the households was used based on nutritional requirement, adult equivalent and required calories per person per day for sub-Saharan Africa region which is 2300 kilocalories. P-alpha equation of Foster-Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) were used to assess poverty incidence, gap and severity. Lorenz curve and Gini index were used for income inequality analysis. Povstat and SimSip poverty programs were used for forecasting and simulation of poverty based on household survey data and a set of macro variables. The per capita consumption was used as the measure of welfare for poverty using regression and through parameterization of the Lorenz curve using General Quadratic method (GQ). Povstat and Simsip poverty models were used for poverty measurement and simulation. Results showed that more than

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Factors influencing transient poverty among agro-pastoralists in semi-arid areas of Kenya

ABSTRACT

Assessing the potential of camel milk as a livelihood option in the face of climatic and environmental changes in drylands of Kenya

In drylands of Kenya, the adverse effects of climate variability and change has directly weakened... more In drylands of Kenya, the adverse effects of climate variability and change has directly weakened the pastoral production system and made it less effective as a livelihood option. This has med most pastoral household food insecure. However, there are many alternatives that exist to cushion pastoral households against the effect of climate variability and change. This study argues that proper assessment of camel milk sub-sector in dryland of Kenya is necessary to ascertain the potential and suitability of camel milk as one of the most suitable opportunities to ensure sustainable livelihood; enhancing pastoral resilience for climatic and environmental changes and shocks and thus achieve food security and alleviate poverty in dry pastoral areas of Kenya. The emphasis is therefore to consider camel milk for ensuring household food security as an alternative to cope and adapt to climate variability and change in the dryland of Kenya

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Evaluation Of Types And Factors Influencing Adoption Of Rainwater Harvesting Techniques In Yatta District, Kenya

The utilization and critical mass adoption of appropriate rainwater harvesting techniques is an i... more The utilization and critical mass adoption of appropriate rainwater harvesting techniques is an important prerequisite for agricultural development, particularly in semi-arid areas. Against this backdrop, a study was undertaken to evaluate the factors influencing adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques among households in Yatta district, Kenya. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 60 households. Logistic regression was used to evaluate different factors influencing adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques. Most of the farmers were aware of a variety of water harvesting techniques, with roof water harvesting (45%) and dams (36.1%) being rated high, and were willing to adopt them within their local context. The regression model showed the education level of household head, experience of water shortage, and awareness of water harvesting techniques and age of farmers as having a significant and positive influence on adoption of water harvesting techniques. For effective implementation and subsequent adoption of rainwater harvesting technologies, farmers would require technical knowhow and skills, capital, raw material and organizational support. In addition, farmers need to be mobilized and trained on the use of rainwater harvesting techniques and sensitized on the potential socioeconomic benefits of adopting them.

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Spatial and temporal analysis of forest cover change in Falgore Game Reserve in Kano, Nigeria

Ecological Processes, 2017

Introduction: Multi-temporal land-use and land-cover data provides a historical vehicle for deter... more Introduction: Multi-temporal land-use and land-cover data provides a historical vehicle for determining and evaluating long-term trends in bio-physical landscapes. Land-use and land-cover assessment and mapping is one of the most useful applications of geographic information system (GIS) for planning, management, and development. This study analyses the spatio-temporal pattern of forest cover dynamics for three decades in Falgore Game Reserve in Kano, Nigeria. The dynamics of forest cover transition during 1985-2015 was analysed using multi-temporal Landsat imagery. Results: The spatio-temporal analysis shows that moderate woodland dominated in 1985 (46%) and 2005 (57%) but was replaced by open woodland in 2015 which accounts for 58% of the total area of Falgore Game Reserve (FGR) currently. Dense woodland occupied the least area of the total forest estate that varied between 17% in 1985 and 1% in 2015. The results indicate that dense woodland, moderate woodland, and very open woodland were decreased at annual average rate of 3, 1, and 0.4%. Open woodland had expanded from 21,127 ha in 1985 to 53,392 ha in 2015. The main drivers of forest resource degradation in the area were found to be excessive fuelwood collection, overgrazing, agricultural expansion, and forest fire. Conclusions: These findings suggest that protection strategies employed in FGR were not effective as deforestation is still evident in the reserve. Government and environmental based NGOs should therefore prioritize effective and efficient conservation strategy for present and future use of forest resources, in addition to the provision of alternative livelihood sources to communities proximate to the reserve. This will ensure the socioeconomic well-being of the locals and sustainable conservation of biological diversity in the area.

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The link between seasonal climatic variability and poverty: a case study of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Baringo District, Kenya

Second RUFORUM Biennial Regional Conference on "Building capacity for food security in Africa", Entebbe, Uganda, 20-24 September 2010., 2010

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Food poverty among pastoral communities in dryland Kenya

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Drivers of forage availability: An integration of remote sensing and traditional ecological knowledge in Karamoja sub-region, Uganda

Pastoralism, 2015

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The link between seasonal climatic variability and poverty: A case study of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Baringo District, Kenya

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Agriculture and Econmic Growth: Theory and Measurement