The Risk of Flooding to Architecture and Infrastructure amidst a Changing Climate in Lake Baringo, Kenya

Climate change has grown more apparent in recent years with people becoming more aware of its potentially disastrous consequences. Flooding is one of the many consequences of a changing climate in Kenya known to cause immense devastation resulting in the loss of lives and property. This paper discusses the risk of flooding in Kenya as one of the many outcomes of climate change in the face of urgency to adapt Kenya’s built environment to flooding which is likely to continue to prevail in the decades as a result of the looming climate change. It also sought to evaluate the physical, traumatic, and psychological effects on communities affected by flood events. This cross-sectional survey, both qualitative and quantitative in nature, executed between 13th January 2021 and 14th July 2021 with 132 respondents along the western shoreline of Lake Baringo, near Marigat Town focused on the flood levels, structures, their materials, and quantities. Results show that the area covered by Lake Baringo increased by 18% from 236 km2 to 278 km2. The depth of floods ranged from 0.3 m to 1.2 m and exceeded 1.6 m during heavy rainfall up to 3.2 m with homes completely submerged by the lake. Flooding was experienced more by residents living in low areas nearer to the shoreline of the lake as compared to those living on higher grounds. 100% of the structures didn’t have the architectural technology to withstand the impacts of flooding with 59% of housing made of corrugated iron sheets both on wall and roofing, 22% of mud houses roofed with either corrugated iron sheets, 10% being timber with thatch and only 8% stoned walled houses. This predisposed all the residents to the harmful impacts of flooding. Piled sandbags by locals as a mitigating measure proved inadequate to withstand the forces of the rising waters. Flood walls were built around local lodges near the lake but the rising water level quickly breached these defences. The study recommends that county and national governing authorities develop flood adaptation strategies for resilience. These include long-term land-use planning, the establishment of early warning systems, evacuation plans, identification of vulnerable or high-risk populations, measures to ensure water quality, sanitation, and hygiene. Flood-resilient architecture including stilt and floating houses that mechanically rise and fall with respect to the highest water mark are recommended during flood events. Bridges on swollen rivers and resilient construction materials like reinforced concrete are to be used for sustainable development for flood risk adaptation.

Impact of Removal of Copper Leaf (<i>Acalypha fruticosa</i>Forssk.) on Plant Species Diversity and Abundance at Chemeron, Baringo County, Kenya

Invasive plant species may significantly alter plant species community composition and structure thereby negatively impacting on ecosystem services. Their impacts on plant communities may be both direct and indirect. The direct effects may include a reduction in the abundance and diversity of palatable plant species that constitute important forage for livestock, wildlife, and medicines for the local communities. Declines in ecosystem resilience are of the notable indirect effects of invasive species. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of a plant species, copper leaf (Acalypha fruticosa) on floral diversity and abundance at Chemeron, Baringo County in Kenya. The study was guided by three questions: What is the plant composition in terms of grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees in the study area? Are there any variations in plant abundance between the two sites (sites with and without Acalypha fruticosa)? Are there variations in plant species diversity between the two study sites? Two sites (one with A. fruticosa and another two without this invasive species) were selected within the Chemeron Research Centre. Two belt transects measuring 100 m × 20 m on each site were laid parallel to each other. Plant samples were collected from five 1 m × 1 m quadrats that were laid at intervals of 20 m. The plant species or specimens were identified to the species level using available taxonomic keys. Various indices including Shannon-Wiener (H’), Evenness Index, Richness Index and Simpson’s Index of Diversity Index (SDI) were calculated. All the diversity, richness and evenness indices were considerably higher in the site without A. fruticosa compared to that where this invasive species was present. Higher H’ (3.14 to 3.21) and SDI (0.93 to 0.94) values were noted in sites without the invasive species compared to H’ (2.11 to 2.20) and SDI (0.77 to 0.85) in sites with A. fruticosa present. Out of the 47 plant species identified, 39 and 20 of them occurred in the site without and with A. fruticosa, respectively. Further, there were more grasses (Aristida keniensis, Cynodon dactylon, Brachiaria lucrantha, Eragrostis racemosa, and Enteropogon macrostachyus) in the site without A. fruticosa compared to that with the invasive plant. The plants were also more evenly distributed in the site without A. fruticosa compared to that where the invasive plant was present. We conclude that A. fruticosa has a significant effect on plant species abundance and diversity as well as distribution. Its removal created a favourable environment for the growth of a variety of grasses. We therefore recommend to the agro-pastoralists and rangeland managers that A. fruticosa be mechanically removed by uprooting from grazing lands so as to increase forage availability and quality in the rangelands of South-Baringo.

Preference and adoption of Farmer Field School (FFS) Prosopis juliflora management practices: Experiences in Baringo District, Kenya

This research was carried out to evaluate the preference and adoption of harvesting, uprooting, stump burning, pruning and thinning practices for controlling the spread ofProsopisjuliflora （prosopis） within Marigat Division of the Baringo District, Kenya. A survey methodology was employed using a random sample of 25 Farmer Field School （FFS） members and 5 non=FFS members from each of the five locations of Marigat Division. In total, 100 FFS members and 25 non-FFS members participated in the study; addi- tional supplementary data were collected from the Kenya Forestry Research Institute （KEFRI）, a major facilitator and trainer of the identified FFS activities and practices in the study area since 2004. More than 80% of the local community never undertook any form of prosopis management practice; however, this changed after FFS training, indicating an acquisition and retention of knowledge which probably diffused to the non-FFS counterparts, through either formal or informal ways. Harvesting was the most preferred （100%） and stump burning the least preferred （46%） practice of managing the spread of prosopis. The success and preference of any prosopis management practice was attributed to wood and non-wood benefits derived from prosopis and growing of animal fodder and food crops on rehabilitated land. More than 80% of respondents attributed ineffectiveness of any prosopis management practice to coppicing and viable seed banks of the tree, while 50% highlighted a lack of consistency and integration in carrying out manage- ment practices. The reported negative attitude towards prosopis changed after training with none of the view to eradicate it. Labor intensity and frequent regeneration of seedlings were identified as the major challenges faced during the implementation of proso- pis management practices. In conclusion, the study shows that harvesting, uprooting, stump burning, pruning and thinning realized through consistent holistic integration contribute to containing the spread of prosopis trees in Baringo, Kenya.

Evaluation of Three Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits in the Diagnosis of <i>Plasmodium</i>Species Infections among Primary School Children in Baringo County, Kenya

Background: Due to the difficulty in implementing microscopy-based definitive diagnosis of malaria especially in resource-poor areas, rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits as alternatives have been developed by different companies. Kits from different companies may differ in sensitivity and specificity. It is therefore imperative to conduct field evaluation of kits from different manufacturers before they are recommended for widespread use in diagnosis of malaria. The present study sought to evaluate the performance of malaria RDT kits from two manufacturers against microscopy in detection of Plasmodium spp. infections among primary school children in Baringo County, Kenya. Methods: Two cross-sectional comparative surveys to assess three RDT kits (CareStart HRP-2, SD Bioline Ag-Pf and SD Bioline Ag-Pf/Pan) were conducted on 561 pupils from three primary schools within the Kerio Valley of Baringo County, Kenya. Results: A total of 561 blood samples were tested for Plasmodium spp. within a period of four months. SD Bioline Ag-Pf/ Pan RDT kit had a higher sensitivity (90%) compared to that of CareStart HRP-2 (70%) but this was not statistically significant (McNemar’s χ2 = 0.5, df = 1, p = 0.4795). The sensitivity of SD Bioline Ag-Pf was the same as that of Care Start HRP-2 (82.4%). The number of positive samples by microscopy was relatively lower than those detected by RDT kits. Two cases of non-P. falciparum infections were detected by RDT kits during the second survey. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the performance of the three kits in the diagnosis of P. falciparum infections was better than microscopy. The sensitivity of SD Bioline Ag-Pf/Pan was slightly greater than that of Care Start HRP-2, although not statistically different.