- Egerton University
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 536-20115 Egerton Kenya - +254725214510
Gilbert O. Obwoyere
Egerton University, Natural Resources, Faculty Member
Research Interests:
The potential utility of drought-resilient and under-utilized Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) as livestock forage supplements has not been indisputably determined under the Kenyan conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine... more
The potential utility of drought-resilient and under-utilized Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) as livestock forage supplements has not been indisputably determined under the Kenyan conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine plausible pathways in the search for alternative feeding innovations to combat feed scarcity and feed quality as well as providing ideal interventions for adapting climate resilient livestock production systems. Arid and semi-arid areas of Baringo, Laikipia and Nyeri were selected for this study due to the prevalence of Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) in these counties. The qualitative changes in nutrient content of Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) are hypothesized to be linked to anatomical characteristics, physiological condition as well as phenological stage of plant growth. Proximate analytical techniques were used in evaluation of nutrient content of Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) using on-farm forage sampling. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) methods were us...
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This study investigated the access to and factors that influence the utility of agro meteorological information by smallholder irrigation farmers in Lari Wendani and Perkerra irrigation schemes in Kenya. A systematic random sampling... more
This study investigated the access to and factors that influence the utility of agro meteorological information by smallholder irrigation farmers in Lari Wendani and Perkerra irrigation schemes in Kenya. A systematic random sampling procedure was employed to select 255 farmers. The units of measurements were farmers, irrigation and extension staff. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a multiple regression analysis model was used to analyse the influence of several independent variables on access to and utilisation of agro meteorological information.. The factors affecting farmers’ access and adoption of agro meteorological information were related to inadequate extension personnel, inaccuracy of forecasts and the communication of agro meteorological information itself. The study emphasizes the need to make use of different types of dissemination channels for different periods and content and also the need to increase extension agents’ participation in the disseminati...
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ABSTRACT The results of the first ornithological survey of Lake Kenyatta, a freshwater lake in Lamu County on the northern Kenyan coast, are presented. A total of 138 bird species belonging to 50 families were recorded. Of these, five... more
ABSTRACT The results of the first ornithological survey of Lake Kenyatta, a freshwater lake in Lamu County on the northern Kenyan coast, are presented. A total of 138 bird species belonging to 50 families were recorded. Of these, five species are of global conservation concern, four are regionally threatened, nine are restricted to the East Africa coastal biome and 20% are migratory. The lake and its surroundings are currently threatened by hippopotamus–fishermen conflicts, encroachment for agriculture and settlement, tree cutting, overfishing, invasive aquatic weeds and overgrazing. We recommend further ornithological studies and promotion of ecotourism and capacity building for communities in order for them to manage this important resource sustainably.
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Research Interests: Biology and Germination
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Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an important zoonotic disease which has remained persistent in many areas of the World. Control and eradication has proved problematic due to the challenges in effective screening and diagnosis. Limited... more
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an important zoonotic disease which has remained persistent in many areas of the World. Control and eradication has proved problematic due to the challenges in effective screening and diagnosis. Limited information on the status of BTB in Kenya presents a need to investigate its occurrence in cattle population. The study was carried out using an indirect antibody Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA-IDEXX-USA) to assess the agreement with Comparative Intradermal Tuberculin Test (CITT) test results between August and December 2013 in Laikipia County. The study also determined the apparent prevalence of cattle BTB antibodies in Laikipia County. A total of 276 bovine serum samples were tested using MPB70 and MPB83 recombinant proteins as capture antigens in the ELISA kit. Data were recorded in Microsoft Excel and exported to SPSS 16.0 for analysis. Apparent prevalence was calculated as a proportion at 95% CI, Kappa statistics computed, and test of signi...
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Hotel service quality has long been a concern for scholars and practitioners. Previous researches indicate that the service quality of hotels in Kenya is yet to match international standards. It has been argued that one reason why hotels... more
Hotel service quality has long been a concern for scholars and practitioners. Previous researches indicate that the service quality of hotels in Kenya is yet to match international standards. It has been argued that one reason why hotels do not deliver quality service is due to the substantial gap of the living standards of Kenyans and international tourists and the lack of proper investment in the sector due to fluctuations in growth in the past. The purpose of the study was to examine the financial implications of rating of hotels. The study was conducted in tourism establishments in Nairobi and parts of Rift Valley and it focused on rated hotels in Kenya. The research design used sociological survey targeting 50 hotel establishments. The researcher relied on primary and secondary data for information from which an analysis was conducted and conclusions deduced. The primary data was collected through face-to-face interviews among tourists and hotel managers using a structured ques...
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Southwestern (SW) Mau is experiencing anthropogenic and natural disturbances; creating canopy gaps influencing microclimate in the forest. This study determined the influence of canopy gap size on three microsite conditions (soil... more
Southwestern (SW) Mau is experiencing anthropogenic and natural disturbances; creating canopy gaps influencing microclimate in the forest. This study determined the influence of canopy gap size on three microsite conditions (soil temperature, soil moisture and light intensity) in SW. The study utilized Ecological Survey Research Design; plots of 500 m by 500 m were laid in disturbed and undisturbed sites of Itare, Maramara and Ndoinet blocks. In the sampled gaps within the plots in disturbed sites; soil moisture and temperature were measured using Kensizer soil tester (3-in-1 moisture/light/pH). Light intensity was measured using the Luxmeter (model HTC LX-104). In undisturbed sites, 500 m by 500 m plots were laid and 30 m by 20 m quadrats randomly nested 19 times within. Four measurements were taken for every Microsite condition per sub-plot. Data was analysed using R and Microsoft excel. Descriptive statistics were given and Kruskal-Wallis test employed to determine differences in...
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Comprehensive and transparent public participation during Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes for renewable energy projects is vital in identifying, addressing and mitigating potential environmental risks associated with such... more
Comprehensive and transparent public participation during Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes for renewable energy projects is vital in identifying, addressing and mitigating potential environmental risks associated with such renewable energy projects. Public participation during EIA is a vital platform where all stakeholders of a given renewable energy project contribute to addressing the environmental concerns of renewable energy projects, thereby contributing positively to informed environmental decisions that mitigate negative environmental impacts. This paper presents a comparative analysis of public participation practice during an EIA process in Kenya’s renewable energy sub-sector vis-à-vis the international best practice operating principles. Further, the paper presents insights on the substantive contribution of public participation in environmental risk management based on questionnaire survey responses from EIA Practitioners and other stakeholders in Kenya’s r...
Food insecurity among smallholder farmers has been a result of the inability of households to produce all its food requirements due to lack of access to productive resources and unfavourable production environment among other factors.... more
Food insecurity among smallholder farmers has been a result of the inability of households to produce all its food requirements due to lack of access to productive resources and unfavourable production environment among other factors. Smallholder farmers tend to be risk averse, they avoid investing in capital intensive production to avoid increasing their levels of risk arising from crop failures due to weather and climate variability. A a study was carried out to investigate the access and factors that influence the utility of agro meteorological information by smallholder irrigation farmers in Lari Wendani and Perkerra irrigation schemes in Kenya.Results indicated that 98% of the farmers were able to access agro meteorological information through radio. More than 60% indicated that they could not access meteorological information from bulletins, mobile, internet and extension services.The factors affecting farmers adoption of agro meteorological information were related to the ina...
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Forest ecosystems are important to ecological, economic and social wellbeing, particularly for the adjacent communities who depend on it. Understanding the socioeconomic dynamics that make households choice to be involved in forest... more
Forest ecosystems are important to ecological, economic and social wellbeing, particularly for the adjacent communities who depend on it. Understanding the socioeconomic dynamics that make households choice to be involved in forest conservation is crucial for sustainable management of natural resources. This study therefore examined the socioeconomic factors that influenced households’ participation in forest management. Multistage probability sampling technique was used to select 202 respondents from households adjacent to Aberdare forest ecosystem. Data collected was analysed using Chi-square test, Spearman’s rho correlation and multinomial logistic regression. The factors that influenced participatory forest management included forest management approach (χ² = 17.551, p < 0.001), distance to the forest reserve (χ² = 29.071, p < 0.001), distance to the national park (χ² = 27.303, p = 0.008), gender of household head (χ² = 10.719, p = 0.002), land tenure (χ² = 34.313, p < ...
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In the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASALs) part of West Pokot County of Kenya, the growing season for agricultural activities occurs during the peak rainfall season of March, April and May (MAM). Farmers in these areas rely on smallholder... more
In the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASALs) part of West Pokot County of Kenya, the growing season for agricultural activities occurs during the peak rainfall season of March, April and May (MAM). Farmers in these areas rely on smallholder agriculture as their livelihood source which in turn depends on the amount and distribution of rainfall. This paper examines the changing pattern of rainfall and the associated impacts on smallholder agriculture in Senetwo Location, Kenya. Annual rainfall trend between 1983 to date showed that in the MAM season rainfall increased in Senetwo location a condition suitable for the good subsistence agricultural performance. Conversely, the smallholder farmers of Senetwo location occasionally suffer heavy economic and resources loss due to unprecedented adverse variability in rainfall patterns. The annual numbers of rain days declined but rainfall intensity increased. Coupled with declining number of rain days, the study established a shift in the onset of...
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Lake Turkana fishery consists of seven endemic and 12 commercially exploited species and is the second largest producer of freshwater fish in Kenya. It supports livelihoods of approx. 300,000 people locally. The lake is managed by beach... more
Lake Turkana fishery consists of seven endemic and 12 commercially exploited species and is the second largest producer of freshwater fish in Kenya. It supports livelihoods of approx. 300,000 people locally. The lake is managed by beach management units (BMU) through a co-management arrangement between the government and stakeholders. Despite this, it faces management related challenges that have resulted in plummeting fish production due to uncontrolled fishing effort, increased competition among fishermen and deficient statistics to support management objectives. This study investigated institutional factors influencing BMUs’ performance by examining training and level of understanding of BMU laws and regulations, funding sources and usage and equipment ownership. A cross-sectional study was adopted and purposive sampling used to collect data from 693 respondents using questionnaires. Chi square was used to test for statistical differences at 95% significant level using MINITAB st...
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Over 2.6 billion people of the world’s population prepare their food and heat their homes with coal and the traditional biomass fuel. Wood fuel continues to be used as a major source of energy without a replacement program and is partly... more
Over 2.6 billion people of the world’s population prepare their food and heat their homes with coal and the traditional biomass fuel. Wood fuel continues to be used as a major source of energy without a replacement program and is partly the cause of wide spread deforestation at an alarming rate of about 13 million hectares per year. Crucial to slowing the loss of the vegetation is promoting alternative sources of energy and/or using fuel efficient devices. This study examined the efficiency of cooking devices and the wood fuel consumption patterns among the rural population sampled from Kenya in Likia village near Njoro, so as to determine the more efficient cooking device and corresponding wood fuel. Initially, a survey was carried out capturing baseline data on the wood fuel utilization patterns and Split Plot in Randomized Complete Block Experimental Design used to select an efficient heating device where heating devices were a sub plot factor and the sources of energy as main pl...
Biomass energy is used as a major source of domestic energy needs and used by over 2.6 billion people worldwide. However, the increased demand for woodfuel is contributing to massive loss of forest cover and compromising the ability of... more
Biomass energy is used as a major source of domestic energy needs and used by over 2.6 billion people worldwide. However, the increased demand for woodfuel is contributing to massive loss of forest cover and compromising the ability of forest ecosystems to provide the various ecosystem services. Among the interventions identified as crucial to slowing down deforestation include promoting alternative sources of energy and using efficient stoves to reduce pressure on forest resources. This study characterized woodfuel utilization patterns and use of various cooking devices among the rural population of Likia location, Nakuru County, Kenya. A survey was conducted through a questionnaire administered to respondents from the study area. Ninety percent of the respondents used woodfuel for cooking, while the three stone stove was used by 71% of the respondents. There was an acute woodfuel shortage that put pressure on the adjacent Mau forest. Lack of awareness on improved and energy saving technologies was evident amongst most of the residents. The amount of woodfuel acquired on -farm was very low at 24% while the dependency on forest for woodfuel and timber was high. The study recommends the promotion of on-farm forestry for woodfuel and timber production, creating awareness about and promotion of improved energy saving stoves. These results are expected to promote sustainability in the woodfuel use and contribute to the slowing down of deforestation and degradation of the adjacent Mau Forest.
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Lake Turkana, the world’s largest desert lake, is the second largest producer of freshwater fishery in Kenya. The lake is co-managed by stakeholders’ groups called Beach Management Units (BMUs) in a co-management arrangement with the... more
Lake Turkana, the world’s largest desert lake, is the second largest producer of freshwater fishery in Kenya. The lake is co-managed by stakeholders’ groups called Beach Management Units (BMUs) in a co-management arrangement with the government. Despite the enactment of co-management policy, management related challenges including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, overexploitation and resource use conflicts still bedevil the lake leading to plummeting fisheries production. This study identified gaps in stakeholders’ inclusion and mobilization methods used by BMUs. Data was collected using questionnaires from 693 respondents in eight beaches. Chi-square was used to test for statistical associations between variables (p≤0.05). Results showed that 13 stakeholders grouped into county government (24%), national government (35%) and donors (42%) were included in the lake’s fisheries management. Although stakeholders’ level of inclusion was not statistically significant (x2=4.8...
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The results of the first ornithological survey of Lake Kenyatta, a freshwater lake in Lamu County on the northern Kenyan coast, are presented. A total of 138 bird species belonging to 50 families were recorded. Of these, five species are... more
The results of the first ornithological survey of Lake Kenyatta, a freshwater lake in Lamu County on the northern Kenyan coast, are presented. A total of 138 bird species belonging to 50 families were recorded. Of these, five species are of global conservation concern, four are regionally threatened, nine are restricted to the East Africa coastal biome and 20% are migratory. The lake and its surroundings are currently threatened by hippopotamus–fishermen conflicts, encroachment for agriculture and settlement, tree cutting, overfishing, invasive aquatic weeds and overgrazing. We recommend further ornithological studies and promotion of ecotourism and capacity building for communities in order for them to manage this important resource sustainably.