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The Social Cultural Factors Influencing the Level of Adoption of Biogas as an Alternative Energy Source in Gakawa Location, Nyeri County, Kenya2023
(JMGE, 2023-04) Felix Lamech Mogambi Ming’ate, Samuel Ndungu Ikonya
Objective: This study examined the socio-cultural factors influencing the adoption of biogas as an
alternative energy source among the small scale farmers in Gakawa location, Nyeri County.
Methods: The study adopted a descriptive research design in order to emphasize the measurement
and analysis of relationships between study variables, and to systematically describe the Social
cultural factors influencing the Level of adoption of biogas as an alternative energy source in Gakawa
Location, Nyeri County, Kenya. Multi stage sampling was used to sample 351 households not
involved in the Biogas Technology Project (BGTP) and 71 households involved in the BGTP. Primary
data was collected through a questionnaire consisting of both open ended and close ended questions.
Also key informants such as the agricultural extension officers, heads of local cooperative dairy
society and NGOs coordinators were interviewed to augment the results of the household respondents.
Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences and results presented
in frequency tables, while qualitative data was analysed by categorizing similar themes from the
respondents and using them to augment the quantitative data.
Results: This study has shown that socio-cultural factors can influence the uptake of biogas as an
alternative energy source. For instance, households with higher levels of education were found
to easily adopt biogas technology. Elderly people were more established and had fixed residence
compared to younger people and thus were able to invest in expensive and permanent non-transferable
projects like biogas technology. Female headed households tend to adopt the biogas technology as
compared to their male counterparts. Finally, the results indicate that substitution of traditional sources
of cooking, to more efficient household energy for the households, particularly in developing countries
has not been adequately achieved.
Conclusion: It is concluded that for the uptake of the biogas technology to be effective, social cultural
factors of communities must be taken into account. Also there is need for more studies in developing
countries that will generate more policies to help households to embrace more efficient technology.
The Role of Forest Resource and Resource Users’ Boundaries in Improving the Livelihoods of Communities Adjacent to Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, Kenya
(science publishing, 2022-03) Ming’ate Felix Lamech Mogambi, Lonzi Zipporah
The role of forest resource and resource users’ boundaries in improving the livelihood of forest adjacent
communities has been of great concern in current literature. Studies have shown that there is likelihood that forest adjacent
communities can draw significant benefits from the forest resource use and users’ boundaries. But is not clear the extent to
which this can happen. Thus this study focuses on examining the role of forest resource and resource users’ boundaries in
improving the livelihood of forest adjacent communities in Kenya using the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve as a case study.
To fill this gap the study used a sample size of 220 households, including 100 households participating in the Arabuko-Sokoke
forest management arrangement, 90 non-participating households in the Arabuko-Sokoke forest management arrangement and
30 key informants. It then used both primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data collection involved administering
semi-structured questionnaires to the participating and non-participating forest management households and key informants,
while the secondary data involved a review of relevant and reliable materials on forest resource management, browsing from
both internet sources as well as from books, daily newspapers, and published articles. Data analysis was done through coding
responses from the different interview categories namely the participating and non-participating households and key
informants and grouping them into similar themes in order to answer the study objectives. It is concluded in the study that
successful governance of Common Pool Resources requires well established forest resource use and users’ boundaries, and that
well established boundaries for resource use and resource users’ can improve community livelihood. It is recommended that,
governments should develop forest resource use and users’ boundaries to enhance forest conservation and improved
livelihoods of forest dependent households
Spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover change around Volcanoes National Park and their implications for biodiversity conservation
(taylor &francis, 2024-07) Nyiratuza Madeleine, Aristide Maniriho,Mireri Caleb & Ming’ate Felix L. M.
This study comprehensively analyses spatiotemporal land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics within a 10-km buffer zone surrounding Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda, from 2000 to 2019, integrating biophysical and socio-economic drivers. It aims to quantify LULC change extent, rate, and type around VNP and inside the park; identify socio-economic, demographic, and policy drivers of LULC change; and evaluate the impact of LULC changes on VNP’s biodiversity via habitat fragmentation, connectivity, and species diversity. Employing remote sensing, spatial modelling, and field data, we reveal profound transformations within the park’s periphery. Forests and woodlots have significantly declined, replaced by agriculture, grasslands, and built-up areas, particularly in the 5.1–10 km belt (92.29% forest loss). While reforestation efforts exist, they are outpaced by deforestation, creating a stark deforestation-to-reforestation ratio of 12:1 in the 5.1 10 km belt and 6:1 in the 0–5 km belt. This alarming trend threatens VNP’s biodiversity as resource dependent communities continue to extract firewood, construction materials, and beanpoles from the park. To mitigate these impacts, we propose integrated strategies encompassing strengthened law enforcement, sustainable land management practices, community-based conservation initiatives, and alternative livelihood development.
Utatuzi wa Makosa ya Kimofosintaksia Miongoni mwa Wanafunzi Wazawa Wa Lubukusu Wanaojifunza Kiswahili Sanifu, Kaunti Ya Bungoma, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024) Namunyu, Emmanuel Wafula; King'ei, Kitula
Osore, Miriam
This research explored intervention measures to Morphosyntactic errors among the native Bukusu learners of Kiswahili. It purposed to confirm the existence of these errors among the learners as claimed by the preceding researches, evaluate the teachers’ intervention measures, and finally suggest the appropriate intervention measures to correct them. It was guided by the Theory of Interlanguage (TIL) and the Theory of L2 learning by Krashen. The IL refers to the type of language produced by learners of L2 which is neither TL nor NL. It asserts that the language of learners goes through various stages before reaching perfection in their L2 production skills. This research is qualitative. The researcher adhered to the field procedure in collecting data. Learners were given an exercise to write a composition on the same topic and fill in the blank spaces. The researcher also listened to their oral narratives to have a glimpse of their spoken language to make a worthwhile conclusion. The research involved forty students from four day secondary schools in Bungoma Central Sub-County which included Musokho Friends, Sichei Friends, Chebunyinyi A.C.K and S.A Wabukhonyi. Four teachers of Kiswahili: one from each of the four schools were also involved to evaluate their intervention strategies. Data collected was analysed by exposing the errors, categorizing them, exposing their sources, evaluating teachers’ intervention measures and recommending appropriate intervention measures. Data collected was systematically presented through explanations and tabulations in various chapters of the entire work. Not only will this research benefit teachers and learners, but also the authors of grammar course books by ensuring their books meet the learners’ needs. We hope that curriculum developers could also benefit from it as they would arrange the grammar concepts in a way that makes it easy for the learners to comprehend having realized the learners’ problems.
Strategic Planning and Performance of Selected Small and Medium Enterprises in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2024) Wanga, Jeremiah Othieno
The rapid and ever-changing nature of the global business environment necessitates strategic planning by organizations to counteract performance-threatening forces. Consequently, the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within Kenya is founded on the capacity whereby they address existing and emerging challenges inherent in a developing economy. Kenyan SMEs, that entails the business in the rural localities and agriculture which have resulted into the economic growth and as a result leading to the employment creation. Irrespective of the same, cases of failures have been witnessed including low levels of performance. Majority are facing threats during the first quarter of the year. Likewise, several SMEs post better performances when starting but just a section of them manage to sustain their growths during the whole cycle and become large firms. Therefore, considering the aforementioned context, this research was after assessing the effect out of strategic planning on the SMEs performance within Uasin Gishu County in Kenya. Thus, the specific types of objectives that guided the study are the assessment of the impact of the environmental scan, formulation of strategy, its implementation, evaluation and control regarding the SMEs performance in Uasin Gishu. The theoretical framework of this research was grounded in the Signaling theory, Schumpeter's Innovation Theory, and resource-based theory. On the same note, a descriptive research type of design assisted in carrying out the study. As the result, the population of target consisted of 380 SMEs within Uasin Gishu. Likewise, stratified mode of sampling assisted in selecting a sample from the 79 SMEs. Collection of data was achieved by using questionaries through the drop-off and pick-up method. Prior to the main data collection, a pilot study was done for testing the research instruments’ validities. The reliability of the instrument that the study deployed was evaluated with the aid of Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficient. Data gathered was subjected for analysis by utilizing the descriptive statistics such as scores, percentages, standard deviations and the frequency form of distributions. The findings were presented in tables and figures which were accompanied by detailed explanations. The study employed a multiple regression model to evaluate the correlation between strategic planning components (environmental scan, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy assessment) and the performance of SMEs. Based on the model, the coefficient of determination (R2 = .522) indicates that strategic planning explains 52.2% of the variability seen in the performance of SMEs. The study's findings indicated a significant positive correlation between the independent factors and the dependent variables under investigation. Therefore, this study recommends that the SMEs management should improve on decision making and the readiness into taking risks as it plays a role towards supporting the organizational capacities which spur the performance, also its managers should analyse its industrial environment to determine its opportunities as this will help in coping with any emergencies.