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Dryland livestock production systems are changing in many parts of the world, as a result of growing human populations and associated pressure on water and land. Based on a combination of social and natural science methods, we studied a 30-year transformation process from pastoralism to a livestock-based agro-pastoral system in northwestern Kenya, with the overall aim to increase the understanding of the ongoing transition towards intensified agro-pastoralist production systems in dryland East Africa. Key to this transformation was the use of enclosures for land rehabilitation, fodder production, and land and livestock management. Enclosures have more soil carbon and a higher vegetation cover than adjacent areas with open grazing. The level of adoption of enclosures as a management tool has been very high, and their use has enabled agricultural diversification, e.g. increased crop agriculture, poultry production and the inclusion of improved livestock. Following the use of enclosures, livelihoods have become less dependent on livestock migration, are increasingly directed towards agribusinesses and present new opportunities and constraints for women. These livelihood changes are closely associated with, and depend on, an ongoing privatization of land under different tenure regimes. The results indicate that the observed transformation provides opportunities for a pathway towards a sustainable livestock-based agro-pastoral system that could be valid in many dryland areas in East Africa. However, we also show that emergent risks of conflicts and inequalities in relation to land, triggered by the weakening of collective property rights, pose a threat to the sustainability of this pathway.

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From 2017, the government of Kenya aimed at attaining 100 percent transition rate of pupils from primary to secondary schools. In Laikipia West Sub-County whose primary schools are focused by the study, transition from primary to secondary schools averaged at 54.9% from 2008 to 2015. Cultural factors are highlighted in literature as to undermine transition of pupils from primary to secondary schools. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which cultural factors influence pupils’ transition from primary to secondary schools in Laikipia West Sub-county in Kenya. Using ex-post facto research design, data was collected using self-delivered questionnaire from a target population of 1064 respondents. The study was carried out on a randomly sampled population of 411 respondents, composed of 280 teachers and 131 PTA chairpersons in public primary schools in the area of study. Data was analyzed using simple regression at .05 alpha level. Findings from the study revealed that cultural factors were significantly influencing transition of pupils from primary to secondary schools (β= - .790) at 0.5 significance level. The study recommended that local leaders should organize for civic education in order to address the identified transition challenges so as to attain a 100% rate of progression to secondary schools.

This study sought to determine the relation between soil weed seed bank and weed management practices and diversity in farms in Kisii Central Sub County, Western Kenya. Eight administrative sub-locations were randomly selected. Ten farms were selected at equal distance along transect laid across each sub-location. Weed soil seed bank was assessed from soil samples collected from each of the farms; a sub-sample was taken from a composite sample of ten soil cores of 5cm diameter and 15cm deep and placed in germination trays in a greenhouse. Weed diversity in soil weed seedbank was calculated using the Shannon index (H’). Twelve weed species from 12 genera of nine families were recorded. Diversity of the weed species in soil weed seed bank was (H'=1.48). Weed management practises significantly affected weed species soil weed seedbank reserves. Use of inefficient and ineffective hand-weeding techniques resulted in high weed species diversity and abundance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lead time management practice on supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya Methodology: A census survey sampling was adopted and conducted on all the 15 sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya forming the unit of analysis. A sample size of 241 respondents comprising of Procurement officers, Finance officers, Production managers and senior managers was obtained randomly from the sugar manufacturing firms. Convenience sampling was then employed to select officers and managers from the sugar manufacturing firms. Structured and semi-structured research questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the respondents. The questionnaires were dropped and picked later to enhance the response rate. The qualitative and quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 28. Inferential analysis was further carried out by correlation analysis, regression analysis and hypothesis testing. The results were then presented using tables, graphs, charts and histograms. Results: Lead time management Practice was found to have a significant effect on supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing (t =5.05, p =.000), from the study results. This meant that a change in lead time management practice had a significant change on supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya. The study further revealed that lead time management and supply chain leverage had a statistically significant association (R =.779, R2 =.607). Consequently, lead time management practice was responsible for 60.7 percent of the variation in Supply chain leverage of sugar manufacturing firms in Kenya in terms of production efficiency, production flexibility and cost reduction. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that individual sugar manufacturing firms observes lead time practices in the acquisition of raw material supplies ensuring the shortest possible lead time, to increase production optimization and efficiency, thus supporting the theory of constraints. Consequently the sugar manufacturing firms will incur limited inventory related costs associated with stock outs or overstocking hence promoting performance, resource optimization and production efficiency and flexibility.

This study sought to determine species diversity and Importance Values (IV) of weeds in farms in Kisii Central Sub County, Western Kenya. Eight administrative sub-locations were randomly selected. Ten farms were selected at equal distance along transect laid across each sub-location. Quadrant and a line transect laid across each farm were used to collect weed species. Five rectangular quadrants of 0.5x2m were established in each farm and individuals of each weed species identified and counted. Importance value (IV) for each weed species was computed from density, frequency and abundance. Diversity was computed by Shannon index (H’). Twenty four weed species from 22 genera in 10 families were recorded, Family Asteraceae had the highest number of species (6), followed by Solanaceae and Poaceae with 4 and 3 species respectively. The dominant weed species were Galinsoga parviflora(IV=241.6%), Pennisetum clandestinum(IV=215.8.7%),Bidens pilosa(IV=196.7%), Cynodon dactylon (IV=192.4%), Digitaria scalarum(IV=180.8%) and Cyperus esculentus(172.0%). Weed species diversity was higher (H'=2.81).