Combating desertification in northern Kenya (Samburu) through community action: a community case experience

The Samburu District is situated in the arid and semi-arid area of the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The Lorroki Plateau in central Samburu acts as an important water catchment for the surrounding arid areas and serves as an area for dry season grazing for the Samburu people, who are pastoralists living in group ranches and whose trees and forests are managed as a communal resource providing grazing, firewood, building poles and medicines. Strong group rules enforced by appointed elders have traditionally been essential to the conservation and wise use of communal tree and forest resources. But these rules have been undermined by changes in resource management, forest use patterns, increasing population, overgrazing, displacements, droughts, cattle rustling and high urban demand for wood energy and building materials. These changes have led to desert conditions. For the past 2 years I have worked among the communities in interventions to combat desertification and have held seminars to sensitize communities and extension staff. Participatory rural appraisal methods and action plans have been drawn up to address range rehabilitation within denuded community lands. The people have formed rural conservation committees with defined responsibilities, and women are taking an active role in harvesting and marketing non-woody products like honey to earn income.