Combating Desertification in Kenya - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 136

Fig. 7.2 Extensive rangelands are used by traditional pastoralists. Much of the better land has
been put into national parks. Large areas have become degraded outside of the reserves

2 Desertification in Kenya

Desertification is a major environmental and socio-economic problem, affecting
about 80 % of Kenya. A total of 7-10 million inhabitants residing in this area suffer
from widespread acute poverty and other adverse effects of drought. Consequently,
Kenya has no option but to institute necessary anti-desertification measure.
Previous Government efforts to combat desertification and mitigate the effects
of drought have fallen short of desired impacts because of different reasons. These
include sectoral approach in the implementation of measures with weak institutional
linkages such as coordination; wastage of resources due to duplication of efforts,
budgetary constraints - both in terms of the amount of funds allocated and the
viability of such funds; and, lack of project ownership by the beneficiaries. It is
in realization of the above that more efforts need to be put in place in order achieve
sustainable development in the drylands of Kenya through strategies for poverty
alleviation, food security and environmental conservation.

2.1 Combating Desertification in Kenya

Desertification is a complex physiographic process caused and accelerated either
by natural or man-induced factors. The natural causes of desertification are mainly