Socio-Economic Determinants of Land Use/Cover Change in Wetlands in East Africa: A Case Study Analysis of the Anyiko Wetland, Kenya

Abstract

In East Africa, wetlands are steadily converted to agriculture for food security reasons. This study analyzed high spatial resolution panchromatic and color photographs in the Anyiko wetland in Kenya to reveal wetland conversions between 1966 and 2018. In addition, socioeconomic determinants of land use/cover change are assessed in the Anyiko wetland. Socioeconomic data was collected through a questionnaire survey of 226 households. A Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) decision tree approach is utilized to assess determinants of wetlands conversion. The results showed that between 1966 and 2018, the wetland area reduced by 55%, mostly attributed to agricultural development. Households were more likely to cultivate the wetland if they did not harvest papyrus for artisanal products, were male-headed and lacked alternative sources of income. The perceptions that wetland is "wasteland" and conversion to agriculture provides higher net monetary benefit did not influence wetland cultivation. Hence, the conversion of the wetland was determined by the socioeconomic status of the households rather than perceptions on its value.

Modelling cropland expansion and its drivers in Trans Nzoia County, Kenya

“…The finding agrees with the national environmental management authority (NEMA) district environmental action plan of Trans Nzoia county, which documented encroachments on protected areas by the locals to boost their household food production (GOK 2019). Similarly, Maua et al (2022) and Ondiek et al (2020) observed that the rich wetland resources of the Nzoia and Lake Victoria drainage systems experienced rampant anthropogenic exploitation within the period under our study. Studies in Kenya have also attributed cropland expansion to agricultural extensification practices (Eckert et al 2017;Mwangi et al 2018).…”

Inland wetlands in Africa: A review of their typologies and ecosystem services

“…The hydrology and physical properties of dambos influence their ecological properties and the availability of ecosystem services (Adekola et al, 2012; Chatanga et al, 2019, 2020; Ondiek et al, 2020). Thus, changes in ecosystems triggered by changes in water availability influence the balance between different wetland species (Behn et al, 2018: Ondiek et al, 2020), and this is significant for the availability of different provisioning, regulating and supporting services. In addition, human activity in dambos also gives rise to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity and these ecosystem services (Langan et al, 2019; Munishi and Jewitt, 2019; Owethu Pantshwa and Buschke, 2019; Orimoloye et al, 2020).…”

“…The hydrology and physical properties of dambos influence their ecological properties and the availability of ecosystem services (Adekola et al, 2012; Chatanga et al, 2019, 2020; Ondiek et al, 2020). Thus, changes in ecosystems triggered by changes in water availability influence the balance between different wetland species (Behn et al, 2018: Ondiek et al, 2020), and this is significant for the availability of different provisioning, regulating and supporting services.…”

Connecting The Dots: Policy Innovations for Food Systems Transformation in Africa

“…76 In East Africa too, between 1966 and 2018, wetland areas fell by 55 percent, largely driven by agricultural development and the search for income-generating activities. 77 The resulting fragmentation and degradation of ecosystems and of biodiversity severely diminish the capacity of ecosystems to provide food, fresh water and genetic material and to play their environment-and climateregulating role.…”