KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
NAMES; REG.NUMBER
KAMAU MUTURI N80S/17828/2011
MUNYI LEWIS NGUGI N8OS/16328/2011
SCHOOL; ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
UNIT TITLE; Arid and Semi arid land development
UNIT CODE; ENS 457
TASK; Discuss the security in arid and semi arid lands and how they are to be addressed.
,INTRODUCTION
Security is defined as a state of being free from danger. Arid and semi arid areas are
defined as areas falling within the rainfall zones of 0-300 mm and 300-600 mm, respectively.
Because of the short growing periods, these areas are not suitable for cultivation. Rainfall
patterns are unpredictable and are subject to great fluctuations.
Arid and semi-arid regions are characterized by a climate with no or insufficient rainfall to
sustain agricultural production. The rains are erratic and often come in a few heavy storms of
short duration resulting in high run-off, instead of replenishing the ground water. Protective
vegetation cover is sparse and there is very little moisture for the most parts of the year. In these
regions, cultivation is restricted to more productive but limited land, while a large animal
population depends on native vegetation.
One year droughts are more common than multiyear droughts. The occurrence of drought is
more frequent in the arid areas than in the semi arid zones, for example according to Ellis (1992),
drought occurs every five years in Turkana County, Kenya (200-500 mm rainfall), where it
occurs every 8-10 years in the maasai region (300-700 mm rainfall) . Severe multiyear droughts
in Turkana County decimated half the livestock and led to the temporary migration of 20% of the
human population (Ellis, 1995). In contrast, single-year drought does not cause livestock
mortality.
Dry lands cover 41% of the planet’s land surface, and are growing. They are home to over two
billion people, including the world’s most impoverished. About 25% of landmass in Latin
America (LA) and Africa, and 38% in South Asia, is semi-arid. Water scarcity and the inability
to put limited water to its most productive use are problems that will likely worsen.
Historically, the rangeland dominating arid and semi-arid areas provided primary products
(grass, legumes and shrubs) which were converted into animal proteins. The use of the resources
for other purposes, such as fuel and building material, intensified with the increase in the human
population and with sedenterization. These rangelands maintained as ecological balance as a
result of the natural defensive mechanisms typical of uncertain and highly erratic climates.
Seasonal fluctuation influences the concentration and mix of herbivores and multiyear droughts
reduce the number of animals.
When temperatures increase and rainfall decreases as a result of climate change, farming on dry
lands will become increasingly arduous, with potentially disastrous impacts on farmer
livelihoods and on food security in rural regions. Experts predict that climate change will affect
40 million poor livestock keepers in mixed systems of Latin America, 130 million in sub-
Saharan Africa, and 100 million in Asia by 2055.
, The achievement of development imperatives that is poverty reduction, economic development
along with other national development goals in related sectors such as habitats, health, energy
demand, lack of new and alternative opportunities for livelihood generation and infrastructure
investments, would be adversely affected in event of climate change.
a) Food Security
Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy
life in the community. Poverty is the underlying cause of food insecurity, while food insecurity
causes malnutrition. Food insecurity is a challenge for Kenya that endorsed the Millennium
Development Goals in 2000, which include Goal 1 as the eradication of poverty and hunger.
Climate change associated variables such as CO2 and temperature can influence food availability
through their direct effect on growth processes and yield of crops. In addition, it may also impact
crop production through indirect effects caused by, for example, change in rainfall induced
irrigation availability, soil organic matter transformations, soil erosion, changes in pest profiles,
and decline in arable areas due to the submergence of coastal lands. Equally important
determinants of food supply are socioeconomic environment including government policies,
capital availability, prices and returns, infrastructure, land reforms, and intra- and international
trade that might be affected by climatic change.
Kenya is home to more than 14 million undernourished people, which is 35 per cent of the
national population. Climate change will act as a multiplier of existing threats to food insecurity.
By 2050, the risk of hunger is projected to increase by 10 – 20 per cent, and child malnutrition is
anticipated to be 20 per cent higher compared to a no-climate change scenario.
In the past 50 years, there have been around 15 major droughts, due to which the productivity of
rain crops in those years was affected.
Decreasing availability of water and food will also increase sanitation and health problems and
increase the risk of diseases and malnutrition. Competition over increasingly scarce resources
will also increase the risk of conflicts, displacement and migration, which in turn will again
increase the risk of food insecurity.
b) Livelihood Security
Limited options of alternative livelihoods and widespread poverty continue to threaten livelihood
security of millions of pastoralist communities in the arid and semi arid regions. With
Pastoralism contributing significantly to the region’s economy , it is critical that policy addresses
issues of loss of livelihood with changes in crops, as well as the need to shift some regions to
new crops, and the associated skills training required.
NAMES; REG.NUMBER
KAMAU MUTURI N80S/17828/2011
MUNYI LEWIS NGUGI N8OS/16328/2011
SCHOOL; ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
UNIT TITLE; Arid and Semi arid land development
UNIT CODE; ENS 457
TASK; Discuss the security in arid and semi arid lands and how they are to be addressed.
,INTRODUCTION
Security is defined as a state of being free from danger. Arid and semi arid areas are
defined as areas falling within the rainfall zones of 0-300 mm and 300-600 mm, respectively.
Because of the short growing periods, these areas are not suitable for cultivation. Rainfall
patterns are unpredictable and are subject to great fluctuations.
Arid and semi-arid regions are characterized by a climate with no or insufficient rainfall to
sustain agricultural production. The rains are erratic and often come in a few heavy storms of
short duration resulting in high run-off, instead of replenishing the ground water. Protective
vegetation cover is sparse and there is very little moisture for the most parts of the year. In these
regions, cultivation is restricted to more productive but limited land, while a large animal
population depends on native vegetation.
One year droughts are more common than multiyear droughts. The occurrence of drought is
more frequent in the arid areas than in the semi arid zones, for example according to Ellis (1992),
drought occurs every five years in Turkana County, Kenya (200-500 mm rainfall), where it
occurs every 8-10 years in the maasai region (300-700 mm rainfall) . Severe multiyear droughts
in Turkana County decimated half the livestock and led to the temporary migration of 20% of the
human population (Ellis, 1995). In contrast, single-year drought does not cause livestock
mortality.
Dry lands cover 41% of the planet’s land surface, and are growing. They are home to over two
billion people, including the world’s most impoverished. About 25% of landmass in Latin
America (LA) and Africa, and 38% in South Asia, is semi-arid. Water scarcity and the inability
to put limited water to its most productive use are problems that will likely worsen.
Historically, the rangeland dominating arid and semi-arid areas provided primary products
(grass, legumes and shrubs) which were converted into animal proteins. The use of the resources
for other purposes, such as fuel and building material, intensified with the increase in the human
population and with sedenterization. These rangelands maintained as ecological balance as a
result of the natural defensive mechanisms typical of uncertain and highly erratic climates.
Seasonal fluctuation influences the concentration and mix of herbivores and multiyear droughts
reduce the number of animals.
When temperatures increase and rainfall decreases as a result of climate change, farming on dry
lands will become increasingly arduous, with potentially disastrous impacts on farmer
livelihoods and on food security in rural regions. Experts predict that climate change will affect
40 million poor livestock keepers in mixed systems of Latin America, 130 million in sub-
Saharan Africa, and 100 million in Asia by 2055.
, The achievement of development imperatives that is poverty reduction, economic development
along with other national development goals in related sectors such as habitats, health, energy
demand, lack of new and alternative opportunities for livelihood generation and infrastructure
investments, would be adversely affected in event of climate change.
a) Food Security
Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active healthy
life in the community. Poverty is the underlying cause of food insecurity, while food insecurity
causes malnutrition. Food insecurity is a challenge for Kenya that endorsed the Millennium
Development Goals in 2000, which include Goal 1 as the eradication of poverty and hunger.
Climate change associated variables such as CO2 and temperature can influence food availability
through their direct effect on growth processes and yield of crops. In addition, it may also impact
crop production through indirect effects caused by, for example, change in rainfall induced
irrigation availability, soil organic matter transformations, soil erosion, changes in pest profiles,
and decline in arable areas due to the submergence of coastal lands. Equally important
determinants of food supply are socioeconomic environment including government policies,
capital availability, prices and returns, infrastructure, land reforms, and intra- and international
trade that might be affected by climatic change.
Kenya is home to more than 14 million undernourished people, which is 35 per cent of the
national population. Climate change will act as a multiplier of existing threats to food insecurity.
By 2050, the risk of hunger is projected to increase by 10 – 20 per cent, and child malnutrition is
anticipated to be 20 per cent higher compared to a no-climate change scenario.
In the past 50 years, there have been around 15 major droughts, due to which the productivity of
rain crops in those years was affected.
Decreasing availability of water and food will also increase sanitation and health problems and
increase the risk of diseases and malnutrition. Competition over increasingly scarce resources
will also increase the risk of conflicts, displacement and migration, which in turn will again
increase the risk of food insecurity.
b) Livelihood Security
Limited options of alternative livelihoods and widespread poverty continue to threaten livelihood
security of millions of pastoralist communities in the arid and semi arid regions. With
Pastoralism contributing significantly to the region’s economy , it is critical that policy addresses
issues of loss of livelihood with changes in crops, as well as the need to shift some regions to
new crops, and the associated skills training required.
