This study evaluates the link between the occurrence of El Nino events in East Africa and water hyacinth blooms in Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria using remote sensing technology. A time-series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analyzed from data acquired by the multispectral Aqua/Terra sensors aboard the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite are used to monitor areal extent and density of the aquatic plants. We related the NDVI derived from MODIS imagery to data on El Niño South Oscillation (ENSO) events that were obtained from NOAA and rainfall data from the study site. Our results from the 11-year time-series data show a statistically significant positive correlation (R=0.6, P=0.021) between the occurrence of El Niño events and water hyacinth blooms in Winam Gulf. The proliferation of water hyacinth rafts in Winam Gulf may be a response to dramatic environmental and water quality changes in Lake Victoria. The patterns of impact of ENSO events and rainfall show spatial and temporal variation patterns in the region, depending on the time and space evolution of each individual ENSO event that could explain the differences in general patterns of water hyacinth cover in Lake Victoria during different El Niño events. Although the problems eutrophication and water hyacinth are severe in the Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria some of the solutions to the problem are located several hundreds of kilometers away in the rich agricultural farmlands of the Lake Victoria catchment area. These include better land management practices and strategies aimed at limiting pollution and soil erosion within the lake's drainage basin.
This paper considers both direct and indirect contributions of livestock to food security in semi-arid parts of Nyakach. Livestock production is a major component of the agricultural economy of developing countries and goes well beyond direct food production. Sales of livestock and their products provide direct cash income to small-scale farmers. Livestock are the source of income for many farmers and have a critical role in the agricultural intensification process through provision of labor on farm, fuel and manure. Livestock ownership also contributes toward farming and economic stability through food production. The meaning of food security has evolved since the first World Food Conference of 1974. It is
Purpose of the study: At the backdrop of the third sustainable development goal, Kenya’s infant mortality rate is 36 while that of Kakamega is 37. This study assessed the effect of distance covered to the nearby medical facility on the death of infants in rural and urban areas of Kakamega Central Sub-County, Kakamega County, Kenya. Data and Methods: A cross-sectional research design was employed to collect data from a sample of women population within childbearing ages of 15 to 49 years in Kakamega Central Sub-County. Analyses were done on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer program at descriptive and inferential levels. Results: Straight-line distance covered to the nearby medical facility was significantly related to urban neonatal mortality. A straight-line distance of 1.1 to 3.9 kilometres from one’s residence to the nearby medical facility had a 1.127 higher likelihood of neonatal mortality in comparison to an at most 1 kilometre straight-line distance. Further, an increase in travel-time was associated with an increase in the likelihood of infant mortality. The adjusted odds ratios of infant mortality increased by 167.2 percent and 643.6 percent for a 30 minutes’ and 60 minutes’ increase in travel time in urban and rural areas, respectively. Conclusion: Straight-line distance influenced infant mortality in urban areas but not rural areas. Travel-time influenced both rural and urban infant mortalities. There is need observe equitable geospatial distribution of medical facilities and proper equipment of the same in Kakamega Central Sub-County in order to observe the acceptable density of medical facilities in correspondence with the population.
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