Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 2 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Logging activities in mangrove forests: A case study of Douala Cameroon

Ndongo Din¹* Peter Saenger², Priso Richard Jules¹, Dibong Didier Siegfried¹ and François Basco³

¹The University of Douala, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 8948 Douala Cameroon.

²  School of Resources Science and Management, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157 Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.

³ Centre de télédétection CESBIO – LADYBIO, CNRS/Université Paul Sabatier, B.PI. 2801 - 31401 Toulouse, cedex, France.

Accepted 12 November, 2010

Abstract

The Cameroon mangroves are exploited by local communities through fishing, hunting, and especially logging for fuel-wood and charcoal. The changing demographic patterns in the region have increased the need of citizens in the urban centres, which in turn, has accelerated the pressure on the neighbouring forests. The objective of these studies was to assess the impact of local communities on the mangroves’ development. Through an eight point semi-structured questionnaire, 120 mangrove loggers were interviewed in the local markets in Douala. The survey data show that 61% of respondents are permanent workers and do not envisage quitting this mode of employment. The surface area destroyed annually approximates 1000 ha. Species of the genus Rhizophora are mostly exploited, with about 200,000 trees cut down per year. The declared revenues are about 400,000 Euros per year. Further analysis of information from different sources suggests that the total annual income could amount to four millions euros. These estimates show that the mangroves have a significant economic value and require significant improvement in modes of exploitation to include strategies for sustainable management.

Key words: Anthropogenic impact, deforestation, Douala-Cameroon, economic value, loggers, mangroves, Rhizophora.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 2 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2011. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Traditional strategies used by pastoralists to cope with la nina induced drought in Kajiado, Kenya

Mworia, J. K. and J. I. Kinyamario

¹School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

²School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Accepted 12 December, 2010

Abstract

Pastoralists traditionally relied on herd mobility to cope with drought. In the pastoral areas of Kajiado, Kenya this strategy is now threatened by increased individual land ownership as compared to communal access. Drought frequency as related to El-Nino and Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is predicated to increase with climate change. The aim of the study was investigate the use of herd mobility strategy in the ENSO related 1999/2000 la Nina induced drought under different land tenure types and varying household cattle wealth. The study found that despite changes in land tenure, herd mobility was used as a coping strategy. Households rich in livestock applied the herd mobility strategy more than the poorer ones by moving a larger proportion of their herds. Poorer households applied the strategy of keeping drought resistant animals more than richer ones by having a higher proportion of goats and sheep than cattle. Institutional land units of Kiboko Range Research Station and Chyulu National Reserve which had higher herbaceous biomass were the most favored refuge areas for livestock during the drought. In conclusion poorer families are likely to be impacted more from increased incidents of ENSO droughts due inability to use the herd mobility option.

Key words: La-Nina, climate change, drought, pastoralist, herd mobility, land use type.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 1 (3), pp. 001-007, December, 2010. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of the ClimGen stochastic weather generator at Cameroon sites

Munang Tingem¹*, Mike Rivington², Sayed Azam-Ali¹ and Jeremy Colls¹

¹Agriculture and Environmental Science Division, School of Bioscience, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.

²Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland UK.

Accepted 11 October, 2010

Abstract

Simulation of agricultural risk assessment and environmental management requires long series of daily weather data for the area being modelled. Acquiring and formatting this data can be very complex and time-consuming. This has led to the development of weather generation procedures and tools. Weather generators can produce time series of synthetic weather data of any length, interpolating observed data to produce synthetic weather data at new sites. Any generator must be tested to ensure that the data that it produces is satisfactory for the purposes for which it is to be used. The aim of this paper is to test a commonly used weather generator, ClimGen (version 4.1.05) at eight sites with contrasting climates in Cameroon. Statistical test were conducted, including t-test and F-test, to compare the differences between generated weather data versus 25 years observed weather data. The results showed that the generated weather series was similar to the observed data for its distribution of monthly precipitation and its variances, monthly means and variance of minimum and maximum air temperatures. Based on the results from this study, it can be concluded that ClimGen performs well in the simulation of weather statistics in Cameroon.

Key words: Weather generators, weather data, Cameroon, climate change.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 1 (3), pp. 001-009, December, 2010. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Economic framework for integrating environmental stewardship into food security strategies in low-income countries: A case of agroforestry in southern African region

Oluyede Clifford Ajayi¹*, Festus K. Akinnifesi¹, Gudeta Sileshi¹, Sebastian Chakeredza¹and Patrick Matakala²

¹ICRAF Agroforestry Programme, P.O. Box 30798, Lilongwe 03, Malawi

²World Agroforestry Centre Regional Office, 2698 Avenida das FPLM, Mavalane, P.O. Box 1884, Maputo, Mozambique.

Accepted 28 September, 2010

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges in many Sub-Saharan Africa countries especially where seasonal food deficits occur frequently, is how best to achieve a balance between the goals of food security and agricultural production on the one hand, and the concerns for the conservation of environmental quality and natural resources capital on the other. A number of agricultural production technologies (based on natural resource management principles) exist that offer opportunities for achieving the two seemingly divergent goals because they have the characteristics to produce joint multiple outputs, i.e, they produce food and provide environmental services. However, farmer adoption of these technologies has generally been limited. Drawing from natural resource economics, this study presents a conceptual framework that provide environmental-economic logic for establishing incentives that internalize the environmental services produced by multiple-outputs land use technologies. Using a land use practice based on agroforestry principles (that is, “improved tree fallows”) as a case study, this paper synthesizes studies carried out in southern Africa region for over a decade. It then discusses how the potential impacts of the technological advances made in research and development are affected by policy and institutional constraints, among other challenges. With particular emphasis on the socio-economic context in southern Africa, the paper identifies options for addressing these institutional and policy constraints in order to facilitate adoption of multi- output land use practices by farmers and unlock their potential to meet food production goals for individual households and environmental services for the wider society.

Key words: Adoption, Agri -Environmental quality, Environmental services, Natural resource economics, Payment for environmental services, Science-policy linkages.

Advanced Journal of Environmental Science and Technology ISSN 7675-1686 Vol. 1 (2), pp. 001-005, November, 2010. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Soil nutrient content, soil moisture and yield of Katumani maize in a semi-arid area of Kenya

Maina Muniafu¹ and J. I. Kinyamario²

¹School of Arts and Sciences, United States International University, P.O. Box 14634 00800 Nairobi, Kenya.

²School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.

Accepted 27 September, 2010

Abstract

Many farmers in Kenya’s semi arid lands cannot afford to purchase inorganic fertilisers to improve their crop yields. They thus rely on traditional agronomic practices such as addition of crop residues, animal manures or intercrops of cereals and legumes. This study investigated soil parameters and their influence on yield. It was carried out at the University of Nairobi’s Dryland, Research and Utilisation Station located at Kibwezi. Soil parameters measured included soil organic carbon, total soil nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil moisture and soil texture and nitrogen mineralization rates. There was significant correlation (p<0.05) in the growing seasons, between soil moisture and soil organic carbon (r = 0.66, 0.81 and 0.65 for seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively) as well as total soil nitrogen (r = 0.73, 0.79 and 0.70 for seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively) and available phosphorus (r = 0.55 for season 1) . Where rainfall was low, maize yield correlated negatively (p<0.05) with percent clay content (r = -0.4) in season one and showed no significant correlation (r=0.21) in season 3. Where rainfall amounts were high, (as in season 2), the correlation was significant (r = 0.75). Nitrogen mineralization rate did not seem to have a direct influence on yield but its effects were modified by soil moisture, soil texture and carbon to nitrogen ratios of the soil. Overall the organic inputs seemed to have minimal impact on yield though goat manure and pigeon pea intercropping had a melioration effect on the soil.

Key words: Soil nutrients, maize yield, semi-arid, Kenya.