Analysis of Household Socio-Economic Drivers of Cattle Grazing and Grass Harvesting in Mount Kenya West Protected Forest, Kenya

Abstract

Protected forests in the Mount Kenya region are increasinglythreatened with degradation, posing a challenge to the conservation of the country’s largest water tower. Prudent management of forest resources utilization by communities living adjacent to the protected mountain a forest is required to ensure sustainability of livelihoods without compromising the long-term persistence of these forests. The objectives of this research were: to assess the significance of household characteristics in driving smallholder farmers dependence on protected forest for pasture; to assess the significance of household characteristics in driving smallholder farmers dependence on protected forests for grass harvesting for cattle; to analyse seasonality patterns of smallholder dependence on protected forest for livestock grazing; and to examine the perceptions of the smallholder farmers towards the use of a ban to regulate access to the protected forest for pasture. The research followed a mixed-method research design to allow for triangulation of quantitative data with in-depth qualitative data. The target population were smallholder farmers living adjacent to three forest blocks namely, Kahurura, Hombe, and Chehe forests. Questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 453 participants. A follow-up in-depth survey was conducted among234 participants. Primary data was complemented with analysis of cattle grazing records from the three forest blocks. Quantitative survey data was analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. Secondary data was analysedusing time series for seasonality trends and patterns in forest dependence. Qualitative data was content analysed for themes and categories. Results revealed that significant household characteristics driving forest dependence for pasture were the ownership of a zero-grazing unit (p=0.03 < 0.05), the proportion of cattle under zero-grazing (p=0.04 < 0.05) and proximity to the forest (p=0.08 <0.1). Significant household characteristics driving smallholder famers’ dependence on protected forest for grass harvesting for cattle included: a household’s socio-economic status (p=0.06<0.1), a household’s total size of land owned (p= 0.02 < 0.05), and proportion of cattle kept under a zero-grazing unit (p=0.07<0.1). Results of the time series analysis revealed significant monthly and seasonality patterns in cattle grazing in all three forest blocks. Key themes from the analysis of qualitative data revealed that participants perceived that a forest ban would remarkably reducethe land available for pasture. In line with the livelihood transformation theory used in the study, study findings reveal how a forest ban might disrupt households’ livelihoods. These findings contribute to knowledge on the significant micro-level characteristics driving the two forms of forest dependence. Future studies are needed to explore the meso-and- macro-level factors that interact with household characteristics identified to drive forest dependence for livestock grazing and grass harvesting.