Land Use and Land Cover Change along River Lumi Riparian Ecosystem in Kenya: Implications on Local Livelihoods

Riparian forests minimize impacts of land degradation on stream ecosystems and provide direct and indirect benefits to people. However, these ecosystems are threatened by degradation and deforestation attributed to land use changes. River Lumi riparian ecosystem in Taita Taveta County in Kenya has experienced rapid and extensive land use changes over the past three decades in response to economic, institutional and demographic factors. There is growing concern of riparian degradation attributed to land use change with far reaching implications on local livelihoods. A study was conducted to examine the patterns of land use and land cover change along River Lumi riparian ecosystem between 1987 and 2019. The aim of the study was to ascertain the impacts of land use and land cover change on local livelihoods. Landsat images were used to assess land use and land cover change while socio-economic data was collected from 353 households in Njukini, Chala and Mboghoni located in the upper, middle and lower sections of River Lumi ecosystem respectively. Research evidence authenticated that the area under farmlands, settlement and water body increased by 20.5%, 112.1% and 2.3% respectively between 1987 and 2019 while area under forest patches, grazing land and riverine vegetation decreased by 52.7%, 3.0%, and 36.6% respectively. The increase in population in surrounding areas coupled with encroachment of the riparian areas for crop farming and livestock grazing resulted to loss of riparian forest patches/vegetation and associated biodiversity with negative implications on household livelihoods. The implication of these results is the need for land use regulations and management interventions at the County level to arrest further encroachment of River Lumi riparian ecosystem and consequent loss of biodiversity and livelihoods.