East African Journal Of Science, Technology and Innovation
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Linear regression models to predict the tropospheric parameters at the Global Positioning systems’ sites over the East African region
Get PDFCurrently, the East African tropical region has limited information about Precipitable Water Vapour (PWV) data and yet the region has a high potential for its utilization. This is on the grounds that the East African tropical region is profoundly prone to climate change and fluctuation. Existing studies need data on the detailing and performance evaluation of precipitable water vapour models within East Africa. This has been so as a result of the scattered Global Positioning System (GPS) networks and other alternative water vapour measuring equipments, enormous information gaps and the absence of surface meteorological data. The accessibility and precision of surface meteorological estimations is crucial in deriving accurate GPS PWV data. In this study, the daily average, PWV, pressure, temperature and weighted mean temperature () models have been developed utilizing one year (2013) GPS PWV and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) 5th Re- Analysis PWV (ERA5 PWV), total column water vapour (TCWV), surface pressure and 2 meter (2m) temperature data. The purpose of the developed models is to predict PWV over regions with data gaps where the computation of GPS Zenith Tropospheric Delays (ZTD) is impossible and in cases of station outages. In addition, the models will provide meteorological parameter where meteorological sensors are missing. The GPS PWV accuracy obtained with the developed models shows an average RMSE of 1.54 mm and MnB of 0.32 mm in comparison to the measured GPS PWV data. The ERA5 PWV accuracy obtained with the developed models shows an average RMSE of 0.33 mm and MnB of 0.01 mm in comparison to the measured ERA5 PWV data. Based on the RMSE, it was observed that the site-specific models developed can be utilized to provide estimates of nearly a similar degree of precision compared to the measured values at the thirteen stations
Current practices concerning the environmental management systems among horticultural processing MSMES in Kenya
Get PDFThe horticultural industry in Kenya is a key income earner with intensive utilization of natural resources in water, energy, and production of enormous quantities of agricultural wastes that negatively affect the environment. Despite the increased horticultural production and processing, the current practices in sustainable horticultural processing by the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) concerning efficient use of resources and potential impact on the environment are yet to be established. This study involved a baseline survey in establishing the practices and trends in horticultural processing by MSMEs in Kenya. The digital Open data kit (ODK) platform was used to collect descriptive data from processors (n=122) across 19 counties of Kenya. Results indicated that most of the processors (57.8%) were small-scale enterprises while the micro and medium enterprises were 26.5% and 15.7%, respectively. The processed products include dried fruits and vegetables (64.7%) and frozen products (11.8%). To ensure efficient marketing, processors give out free samples (78.4%) regardless of the processor capacity (c2= 6.17, p=0.046), carry out product delivery (60.8%), and offer products on credit to clients (21.6%). There was no association between the type of enterprise and standard certifications (c2= 5.6, p=0.061), with most (59.8%) of the organizations lacking local and international certifications. Only 39.4% had certifications from the Kenya Bureau of Standards, although a weak correlation (r=0.225, p=0.023) between the certified firms and auditing was reported. Over 55% of the respondents did not know of ISO 14001 environmental management standards. Awareness of sustainable consumption and production was deficient, and only 24.5% agreed that there is strictness in the implementation of environmental legal requirements and regulations. In conclusion, the survey shows that environmental awareness scored poorly (29.5%) and, therefore, a need to conduct training on the importance of environmental sustainability during processing.
Effect of washing, packaging material and storage period on the quality of sweetpotato roots
Get PDFSweet potato storage hardly happens in Kenya since most farmers harvest the roots piecemeal on demand. Moreover, many traders have little knowledge on the appropriate conditions for storage. There exists very little information on stability of nutrients of these roots during storage. Kabode (orange fleshed) and Kenspot 2 (white fleshed) varieties of sweet potato were harvested and subjected to similar storage conditions for 21 days to monitor changes in moisture content, starch, reducing sugars, beta carotene and vitamin C. Half of the samples were washed while the similar half were unwashed before storage. Samples were stored both under room temperature 22-24oC, relative humidity 60-70% and at temperature of 12-13oC, relative humidity 80-90%. There was moisture loss of up to 82.9% (Kabode) and 53.2% (Kenspot-1); starch loss of up to 29.7% (Kabode) and 23.7% (Kenspot 2); reducing sugars increased up to 286% (Kenspot 2) and 148.4% (Kabode); beta carotene loss of up to 100% (Kenspot 2) and 79.6% (Kabode) as well as vitamin C loss of up to 56% (Kenspot 2) and 62% (Kabode) at the end of 21 days of storage. Significant (p?0.05) higher losses were recorded in samples stored at room temperature (22-24oC) with relative humidity 60-70% compared to samples stored at 12-13oC with relative humidity ranging 80-90%. Sweet potato storage shelf life can therefore be enhanced by storing the roots in temperatures 12-13oC at 80-90% relative humidity conditions which slow down metabolic reactions responsible for nutrient degradation. Relevant stakeholders in the sweet potato value chain should work together towards designing and establishing sweet potato roots storage chambers to increase the commercial viability of the enterprise.
Optimization of ecosystems services for sustainable coffee production under changing climate
Get PDFLegume cover crops have previously been evaluated for green manure, weed control and soil moisture conservation, this study includes further evaluation of biomass of the legume fodder. Our research was to compare soil nutrients and moisture concentration at different times in the treatment plots in the coffee plantation after the establishment of a desmodium legume cover crop with quantification of the resulting biomass as fodder for livestock. This case study conducted at the University of Nairobi coffee plantation evaluating different weed control methods in coffee using hand weeding, glyphosate (1.0 kg ha-¹ of acid equivalent) based herbicide and desmodium spp legume cover crop compared weeding costs and implications to farmers’ incomes in coffee production. Using completely Randomized Block Design 3 treatments replicated 3 times were analyzed for the annual weeding labour costs, soil nutrients, soil moisture and biomass production. Statistical analysis of soil moisture content and nutrients was evaluated among the treatments. Results indicated that coffee intercropped with desmodium had higher moisture retention of 36 % on average being higher than other treatment and desmodium legume fresh biomass production was extrapolated to 17,000 kgs per hectare per year. Desmodium spp planted was able to establish providing groundcover (90%) 18 weeks after planting inhibiting weed growth thus reducing the need for weeding as well as conserve soil moisture. There were significant savings on the cost of manual weeding with additional earnings or savings of 750 $ US from sales or utilization of the desmodium fodder per hectare. The study concludes that cover crops can enhance farmers’ resilience to changing climate utilizing the same size of land while enhancing output and increasing revenue. Policymakers need to realign extension services to introduce legume cover crops in coffee production to reduce the labour costs and the high doses of synthetic fertilizers which emit
Transitioning to green growth in Kenya: The Horticulture Productivity, Fuel Consumption and Short-Lived Climate Pollutants nexus
Get PDFThe need to transform Kenya’s horticultural sector to adopt low carbon, resource-efficient initiatives require a shift to sustainable consumption and production practices that underpin low carbon green economy regimes. Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone, have harmful effects on agricultural productivity, ecosystems, and people, consequently impinging on green economic growth. This paper evaluates the influence of horticultural productivity in Kenya on National Fuel Consumption and SLCPs. National data from the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on horticultural commodity prices (HCPs), as a proxy to horticultural productivity, are compared with fuel consumption and satellite-borne national average black carbon measurements. The KNBS data were collected for the period 2002 to 2018. National monthly area average time-series of the SLCPs were obtained from satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Giovanni website for the same period. Consumption of eight fuel types was correlated with HCPs. Correlation and regression analyses employed on the data revealed a statistically significant relationship between monthly black carbon and annual horticultural commodity prices, with dry months of February and June reporting inverse relationship, with a correlation of determination (r2) ranging from 0.36 to0.38. On the other hand, the wet month of October registered a positive correlation with black carbon (r2 = 0.54). The statistically significant inverse relationship between Annual horticultural commodity prices and annual surface black carbon concentrations is evident for fruits. The vehicular emissions connected to the horticulture value chain need to be mitigated as Kenya transitions to a green economy. Total monthly fuel consumption is positively and moderately correlated with horticultural commodity prices, with January recording the highest r2 (0.85). The months of October to December record the lowest variance explained. This alludes to the need to adopt green energy in the horticulture sector to be in tandem with the transition
Substitution of Plastics with Organic Pots in Tree Seedlings Production for Sustainable Environmental Conservation
Get PDFThe Mau Forest Complex, Kenya, is the location where the study below was done with the aim of investigating if small-scale operators of tree nurseries are will to embrace and use biodegradable seedling pots. These containers include baskets made of plant fibre and bamboo tubes as well as to determine the tree species that could form a denser canopy to be used in reafforestation. This study hypothesized that biodegradable pots could promote better growth of tree seedlings and offer more environmental-friendly benefits in comparison to the extensively utilized polythene containers. Biodegradable seedling pots are options friendly to the environment compared to plastic pots commonly used in activities in the greenhouse and nurseries. The use of compostable and plantable containers based on natural and renewable materials derived from plant materials have a potential market to boost the sustainable character of current tree production systems. Three species were planted including, Hagenia abyssinica in Gatimu, Juniperus procera and Olea europea subsp. africana in Mwisho wa Lami. Basket tubes gave the highest vigor (62.429 cm) with H. abyssinica in Gatimu while bamboo (58.048cm) and control (52.667cm) did not show a significant difference at p = 0.05 level. Olea europea subsp. africana generally demonstrated higher vigor with all the applied treatments than J. procera in Mwisho wa Lami. Basket treatment gave the highest height and number of branches for the two plant species while bamboo and control treatments did not have any significant differences at p = 0.05. In this study it was found that seedling bags made from plant fibres could be adopted in tree seedling propagation to remove the synthetic plastics for sustainable environmental conservation. Hagenia abysinica was also recommended for reafforestation as it formed a quick canopy
The Effects of packaging materials on keeping quality of cassava root - leaf flakes
Get PDFProcessing and value addition is necessary for fresh agricultural commodities in order to reduce perishability and prolong shelf-life. Shelf life is enhanced with proper packaging because packaging materials influence storage period, preserve nutrients and sensory qualities. This paper objectively determined the effects of packaging materials on nutrients quality of cassava flakes. The methodology of the work involved the use of blends of cassava flakes packaged in Kraft, insulated polythene and plastic, and stored in an incubator at 550C and 75 % relative humidity for 5 days. Three blends of cassava flakes identified by panelists as the most preferred (20 % leaf, 100 % fresh root, 100 % fermented roots were developed and studied on accelerated shelf life trial. Storage period and packaging material were determined. The results showed moisture content to be significantly influenced by packaging material whereby it increased over the storage period, across the blends, with highest levels (10.75-%) registered in kraft material on day 3. After day 3 all nutrients showed a drastic decreasing trend with the most affected being protein that dropped from; 22.94 mg / 100g to 8 mg / 100g in the blend containing 20 % leaf in and 6.65 mg / 100g to 2. 8 in the blend of 100 % fresh root packaged in kraft materials. There was Paper insulated polythene (gunny) was shown to contain highest nutrients’ levels by day 5 with; protein at 27.68 mg /100g vitamins A (576.85 mg/100 kg), Zinc (1.17 mg /100 g), iron 3.69 mg /100g), fibre 6.12 mg /100g. Fat was highest at 9.71 mg/100g in the plastic material. The study therefore concluded that insulated polythene is the best packaging material for cassava flakes and the product’s shelf life is up to 3 months.
Postharvest Handling Practices of Sweetpotato in Kenya: A case of Bungoma and Homabay Counties
Get PDFPostharvest losses in sweet potato can occur due to poor handling practices and inadequate knowledge on maintaining the quality and safety of the roots by handlers across the value chain. This study involved an assessment of postharvest handling practices of sweet potato in Bungoma and Homabay Counties, Kenya. A survey was carried out between November 2015 and February 2016, structured questionnaires were administered to a total of 165 respondents comprising 96 farmers, 64 traders, and 5 processors drawn from two constituencies of each of the Counties. Four key informants were also interviewed. Results showed that 68%, 87%, and 40% of sweet potato farmers, traders, and processors respectively, were women. Iron bars and wooden sticks were used in piecemeal harvesting while hoes (jembes) and ox-plows were used in wholesale harvesting of roots. Informal marketing systems that quantified roots using bags, buckets, and heaps were prevalent. Motorcycles, donkeys, bicycles, public service vehicles, foot, and carts were used by 26%, 21%, 11%, 8%, 7%, and 6% respectively to transport roots to the markets. Storage was rarely practiced by 43% of farmers and 45% of traders. Root curing was not common. Processed products included flour, puree, and dried chips. High perishability and unreliable supply of roots were major challenges indicated. The establishment of storage facilities, promotion of processing opportunities as well as formulation and enactment of a comprehensive sweet potato policy could move this industry to a commercial level. There is a need for collective action by policymakers and other stakeholders to address the challenges noted to ensure the reduction of postharvest losses for food security and better incomes
Factors influencing Euryarchaeal gut methanogens distribution in dairy cattle in smallholding farms
Get PDFGuts of ruminants contain symbiotic domains (Eubacteria, Archaea and Eukarya) that aid in the breakdown of consumed carbohydrates from plants to simple molecules that can be absorbed into the ruminant’s bloodstream. Methanogenesis occurs during the gut fermentation and methane gas is released in the final step of biomass degradation from the fermentation chambers. The Archaea that play a major role critical for methane emissions are methanogens and are found freely in the ruminants’ gut. Methane production from ruminants has attracted global attention due to their input on the Green House Gases effect, contribution to global warming and negative effects on farmers’ productivity. The objective of this study was to determine the factors contributing to the methanogens’ gut distribution in dairy cows from smallholder farms using next generation sequencing techniques. A total of 48 samples from smallholding dairy farms were used during this study and were collected from Kenya (Kiambu county) and Tanzania (Lushoto and Rungwe). The collected data samples from the experimental animals were from both the rumen fluid (6) and fecal (42). Samples were analyzed using metagenomic approaches and statistical analysis was undertaken using IBM SPSS statistics software version 28.0.0.0. Results showed that the gut site along the gastrointestinal tract and the feeding regime significantly contributed to the distribution and presence of various methanogenic species (P<0.1). The herd and the genotype had no statistical effect. A total of 12 families were identified. The family Methanobacteriaceae was identified with the leading number (8) of the methanogenic species. A third of the identified families showed presence for at least two methanogenic species with Methanobrevibacter ruminantium being abundant. For proper curbing mechanisms, efforts to reduce methane release should be channeled to the whole gastrointestinal tract and advanced studies carried out on any potential interspecies presence facilitation and/or elimination
Constraints in Water Access in Laikipia County, Case of Ewaso Ng’iro River Basin in Kenya
Get PDFChallenges to water access are characterized by ineffective water institutions in Upper Ewaso Ng’iro North River basin. The inability of policies to create trust and equity for sustainable water access is critical despite institutional reforms undertaken over the years. The impact of scarcity and limitations noted are more pronounced in upstream downstream landscape breeding a sense of dissatisfaction and perception of inequality among water users and stakeholders. Study adopted a mixed methods with data collection tools used were; desktop analysis, field visits and discussions, structured questionnaires, Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions. Interviews with 384 randomly selected households were conducted and data analyzed using descriptive statistics. Theory of Access informed the study. The findings showed that rivers and boreholes are the main water sources in the sub-basin. Consequences of the unsatisfactory state of water access attributed to weak water governance policies and water management institutions. Lack of trust among water users remains latent easily triggered by scarcity and political-economic and social disruptions during severe droughts. The study’s recommendations are the development of effective communication mechanisms to share information, adherence to regulations, and government to implement current and past reforms to mitigate constraints to water access.