Constraints of rehabilitating degraded semi-arid lands of Kenya using indigenous perennial grasses
Date
2010Author
Mganga, KZ
Musimba, NKR
Nyangito, MM
Nyariki, DM
Mwang’ombe, AW
Ekaya, WN
Muiru, WM
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Land degradation which among others include loss of vegetation
is rampant in Kenya, destroying both the fragile arid and semiarid
lands and the non-arid areas. Efforts to rehabilitate semiarid
areas by re-vegetation has often failed. This study was
carried out to determine factors responsible for these failures.
The study was conducted in the semi-arid district of Kibwezi.
Three (3) grass species Cenchrus ciliaris, Enteropogon
macrostachyus and Eragrostis superba were used for revegetating
the land, while agro-pastoralists in the area were
interviewed through questionnaires to get their perceptions on
the failures of reseeding. Low rainfall, poor seed quality, lack
of enough seed, flush floods, destruction by grazing animals
were found to be factors limiting the success of reseeding.