Soft System Methodology in the Management of Agroecosystem Health and Sustainability Concerns of a Tropical Highlands Agroecosystem - Integrated Assessment of Health and Sustainability of Agroecosystems - page 133

A system, owned by Kiawamagira community, together with the MoPW
and KR to rehabilitate the drainage system in and around Kiawamagira
village in order to reduce flooding, gully formation, and access road
damage, using resources from the MoPW, KR, and Kiawamagira
communities.

C: Kiawamagira community

A: MoPW, KR

T:

Runoff directed
into village

Runoff directed
away from village

W:

It is the runoff from the roads and railway that
overloads the drainage system of the village

O: Kiawamagira community, MoPW, KR

E: Goodwill from MoPW and KR, Resources from MoPW and KR,
community organization, and unity

Monitor to decide if:
-runoff to village is reduced
-there are blockages
-there are breakdowns
-access road usable

MoPW

Village committee

Obtain expertise
to design drainage
system in village

Redesign drainage
around roads and
railway

KR

Take action

Harmonize designs

Implement Repair access road

C: Clients; A: Actors; T: Transformations; W: World-view; O: Owners; E: Environment

fIGuRe 5.2 A root definition and an activity system based on the perspective of farmers to
ameliorate flooding and damage to the access road in the Kiawamagira intensive study site.
KR, Kenya Railways; MoPW, Ministry of Public Works. See CD for color image.

Figure 5.5 depicts the differing perspectives of various stakeholders on the Gitangu
water project. The three main perspectives with regard to the course of action were
(1) do nothing, (2) rehabilitate the project, and (3) start a new project (to sink a
borehole).