Browsing by Author "Basweti, Evans"

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  • Publication
    Publication
    Ecological integrity of a medium-sized river of a lake basin towards ecosystem health management
    (Wiley, 2023-10-13) Osure, George Owiti; Aura, Christopher Mulanda; Getabu, Albert; Omondi, Reuben; Basweti, Evans
    This study demonstrates the use of a multi-metric Fish Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) for assessment of ecological health of a medium-sized river, under a gradient of human disturbances in the Kenyan side of the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Development of the index is based on water quality, river habitat quality and fish community attributes. The river was sampled from 2019 to 2020 during wet and dry seasons of the year at nine selected sites along its length based on the level of human disturbance. A total of nine metrics representing the structural and functional organization of fish communities were qualified using the separation power of Mann–Whitney U test (p < .05). Metric values at unimpaired, intermediate, impaired and no-fish sites were used to establish the scoring criteria using inter-quartile ranges. A 1, 3, 5 scoring system representing high, fair and slight deviation from the best site, respectively, was used in the final FIBI development. River mouth station had the highest FIBI score of 43, with extensive natural riparian buffer vegetation (>20 m) and 18 fish species implying least human disturbance. The midstream section had intermediate FIBI scores of 34–36, with wide natural riparian buffer vegetation (10–20 m) and 6–9 fish species that represented moderate human disturbance. The upstream section had the least FIBI score of 0, with no fish and narrow riparian buffer vegetation (<5 m) that indicated notable degradation. This study presents the preliminary results of using fish and habitat metrics for development of an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for a medium-sized river in a lake basin, as a decision-making support tool for effective management and conservation of water resources. The study recommends restoration of river habitat quality for improved ecological integrity of rivers in the Lake Victoria Basin.
  • Publication
    Publication
    EFFECT OF FARM SUCCESSION ON COFFEE PRODUCTION IN KISII COUNTY KENYA
    (ESci Journals Publishing, 2014-10) Ngeywo, Javan; A, Shitandi; Basweti, Evans; Aming'a, Nemwel
    Coffee is the world's most consumed drink next to water and second most traded commodity to oil. It is fourth GDP earner and employs 600,000 households in Kenya. Coffee production is dependent on various aspects of agronomic practices and farm succession. However, little information exists on the effect of farm succession on coffee production. Coffee farmers are elderly (Average 55 years), and reluctant to release coffee farms to the new generation, leading to reduced adoption of new technologies and reduced coffee production from 130,000 MT in 1989 to 50,000 MT in 2012 despite its profitability and opportunity of expansion. The objective of the research study was to establish the effect of farm succession on coffee production in Kisii County. Simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data using structured questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussion and case studies on a sample of 227 respondents from a population of 69,000 coffee farmers. Research data were analyzed using descriptive and Pearson correlation statistics at 5% significance level, with aid of SPSS and Microsoft excel programs and results reported using tables, charts and descriptions. The research findings indicated a weak significant correlation between farm succession and coffee production, P>0.05, average production of 1.77 kilograms of cherry and standard deviation of 3.23. The research findings are aimed at filling policy gaps by encouraging agricultural extension practitioners to encourage the youth to participate in coffee farming and encourage the elderly farmers to mentor the youth to take up farming. The coffee farmers need to be encouraged to widen the choice of farm successors beyond family members and beyond gender imbalance in order to encourage spurring of coffee production, thus increasing production and profitability.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Farmers’ Attitude On Different Watershed Management Practices: A Case of Tende and Kibuon Catchments in South West, Kenya
    (International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2020-11-11) Mulwale, Catherine; Basweti, Evans; Ochola, Washington; Maobe, Samson
    Watershed degradation is an example of natural resource degradation that affects environment and food security negatively. Integrated Land and Watershed Management Project in Kibuon and Tende catchments (ILWMKTP) ran from 2009 to 2014. The programme focused on reduction of degradation by using soil and water conservation practices. The survey was carried out in Kisii, Nyamira and Homa Bay Counties which were purposively selected since they implemented the project. The study was an ex post facto research design which used cross sectional survey approach that applied qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures. The survey targeted a population of 9,475 respondents who implemented ILWMKTP project while the accessible population was 370 farmers who were proportionately selected through simple random method. The survey used a questionnaire and an interview schedule to collect data from farmers and key informants. A research tool was used to gather data on attitude farmers’ in terms of practices used to control watershed degradation. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25. There were significant differences in levels of positive attitude on watershed management practices. Responses captured were rated on a five point likert scale and frequencies were run for respondents who agreed on positive statements on the practices and their percentages were between fifty one and seventy one percent. This implied that respondents had different levels of positive attitude on watershed management practices in the catchments.
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    Publication
    Groundwater Resource Mapping through the Integration of Geology, Remote Sensing, Geographical Information Systems and Borehole Data in Arid-Subarid Lands at Turkana South Sub-County, Kenya
    (2019) Nyaberi, Daniel; Barongo, Justus; Kariuki, Patrick; Ogendi, George; Basweti, Evans
    The integrated approach of various techniques which historically have been used independently is key to successful exploration, development, exploitation and management of the groundwater resources. The integration of Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Borehole data has been used in the study area to assess their applicability in groundwater investigation. The area of study lies in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) where principally remote sensing data has been used in extraction of various thematic maps (lithology, lineament, drainage density, and Digital Elevation Model Maps) for groundwater assessment. The GIS platform was used in integrating the RS data and data of productive boreholes. The lineaments generated through remote sensing agree well with structural geology of the area, where high density lineament points overlays the points of intense faulting. Lineaments found in the area correlate well with fault zones, fractures, and lithological contrasts as supported by geological map and structural map. Weathering, faulting and fracturing of the rocks mean a possible increase or a reduction in specific capacities as observed in productive boreholes in sedimentary rocks or igneous/basaltic rocks of the area. Similarly, it is noted that the degree of faulting affects the degree of radius of influence of a borehole in a particular area. These analyses show that groundwater potential within the Sub-County varies spatially with high dependency on geological structures in the basement region and more on geology within the volcanic and younger sediments.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Groundwater Resource Mapping through the Integration of Geology, Remote Sensing, Geographical Information Systems and Borehole Data in Arid-Subarid Lands at Turkana South Sub-County, Kenya
    (Scienctific Reseach, 2019-12-16) Nyaberi, Daniel; Barongo, Justus; Kariuki, Patrick; Ogendi, George; Basweti, Evans
    The integrated approach of various techniques which historically have been used independently is key to successful exploration, development, exploitation and management of the groundwater resources. The integration of Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Borehole data has been used in the study area to assess their applicability in groundwater investigation. The area of study lies in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) where principally remote sensing data has been used in extraction of various thematic maps (lithology, lineament, drainage density, and Digital Elevation Model Maps) for groundwater assessment. The GIS platform was used in integrating the RS data and data of productive boreholes. The lineaments generated through remote sensing agree well with structural geology of the area, where high density lineament points overlays the points of intense faulting. Lineaments found in the area correlate well with fault zones, fractures, and lithological contrasts as supported by geological map and structural map. Weathering, faulting and fracturing of the rocks mean a possible increase or a reduction in specific capacities as observed in productive boreholes in sedimentary rocks or igneous/basaltic rocks of the area. Similarly, it is noted that the degree of faulting affects the degree of radius of influence of a borehole in a particular area. These analyses show that groundwater potential within the Sub-County varies spatially with high dependency on geological structures in the basement region and more on geology within the volcanic and younger sediments.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Mapping of Groundwater through the Integration of Remote Sensing and Vertical Electrical Sounding in ASALs: A Case Study of Turkana South Sub-County, Kenya
    (Scientific Research, 2019-11-07) Nyaberi, Daniel Mogaka; Basweti, Evans; Barongo, Justus Obiko; Ogendi, George Mokua; Kariuki, Patrick Chege
    Turkana South Sub-County falls in the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya, which are characterized temperatures of 20°C to 41°C with an average of 30.5°C and precipitation in the range of 52 mm to 480 mm per year. The area has limited availability of water resources. The area has a land surface of 18,000 km2 and lies between Longitudes 35°10'00" and 36°45'00" East and between Latitudes 1°0'00" and 3°0'00" North. The study area faces immense difficulties in trying to meet its water requirements for her rapidly increasing populace, livestock needs and other developmental programmes. Surface water in the area is becoming unobtainable, thus the choice of groundwater exploitation. Indeed with the snowballing demand necessitated by energy, agricultural and livestock production needs in this area, there is an appeal into investigation for groundwater in this greatly remote and extensive area. Thus, the success in the exploration, development and management of groundwater in such a large area calls for such methods that can easily be used to zero down to exploitable targets. Given the expansiveness of the study area, remote sensing (RS) has been used to map lineaments which in turn have been used to deduce faulting affecting the geology of the area. The mapping by RS helped in identifying weathered zones, the fracture systems and fault zones sign of deeper weathered zones which are interpreted to be potential areas since mainly water is stored within fractures and the weathered zones in subterranean and in hard rocks. In the field topographic expressions of faults and fractures which include; joints, fractures, scarps, river channels and slope breaks were mapped and it was observed that there was a comparison of the features to the coincidence raster and aspect interpreted lineaments. The earmarked points were later investigated using vertical electrical sounding (VES) to establish their feasibility for groundwater availability and extraction. The investigated VES points in areas of high lineament density revealed decreasing resistivity with increasing depth of investigation, a confirmation of faulting. The data presented curves, type KH, type KK, and type Q. Further investigation was done in points of low lineament density, considered to be least affected by faulting and deep weathering, which turned out to be having increasing resistivity with increasing depth of investigation, an indication of layered lithology. The zones of low lineament density are represented by a type A curve, a type H curve, type HH. There is a good agreement in the results of remote sensing data and VES data models generated where the high lineaments density points concur with areas of good groundwater potential.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Mapping of Groundwater through the Integration of Remote Sensing and Vertical Electrical Sounding in ASALs: A Case Study of Turkana South Sub-County, Kenya
    (Scientific Research, 2019-11-28) Nyaberi, Daniel Mogaka; Basweti, Evans; Barongo, Justus Obiko; Ogendi, George Mokua; Kariuki, Patrick Chege
    Turkana South Sub-County falls in the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya, which are characterized temperatures of 20˚C to 41˚C with an average of 30.5˚C and precipitation in the range of 52 mm to 480 mm per year. The area has limited availability of water resources. The area has a land surface of 18,000 km2 and lies between Longitudes 35˚10'00" and 36˚45'00" East and between Latitudes 1˚0'00" and 3˚0'00" North. The study area faces immense difficulties in trying to meet its water requirements for her rapidly increasing populace, livestock needs and other developmental programmes. Surface water in the area is becoming unobtainable, thus the choice of groundwater exploitation. Indeed with the snowballing demand necessitated by energy, agricultural and livestock production needs in this area, there is an appeal into investigation for groundwater in this greatly remote and extensive area. Thus, the success in the exploration, development and management of groundwater in such a large area calls for such methods that can easily be used to zero down to exploitable targets. Given the expansiveness of the study area, remote sensing (RS) has been used to map lineaments which in turn have been used to deduce faulting affecting the geology of the area. The mapping by RS helped in identifying weathered zones, the fracture systems and fault zones sign of deeper weathered zones which are interpreted to be potential areas since mainly water is stored within fractures and the weathered zones in subterranean and in hard rocks. In the field topographic expressions of faults and fractures which include; joints, fractures, scarps, river channels and slope breaks were mapped and it was observed that there was a comparison of the features to the coincidence raster and aspect interpreted lineaments. The earmarked points were later investigated using vertical electrical sounding (VES) to establish their feasibility for groundwater availability and extraction. The investigated VES points in areas of high lineament density revealed decreasing resistivity with increasing depth of investigation, a confirmation of faulting. The data presented curves, type KH, type KK, and type Q. Further investigation was done in points of low lineament density, considered to be least affected by faulting and deep weathering, which turned out to be having increasing resistivity with increasing depth of investigation, an indication of layered lithology. The zones of low lineament density are represented by a type A curve, a type H curve, type HH. There is a good agreement in the results of remote sensing data and VES data models generated where the high lineaments density points concur with areas of good groundwater potential.