Challenges and opportunities of participatory management of Upland Wetland in Kiambu County, Kenya

Kinyariro MS, Njuguna SG, Macharia G. 2019. Challenges and opportunities of participatory management of Upland Wetland in kiambu county, Kenya. Bonorowo Wetlands 10: 52-65. Wetlands are continuously degraded through agricultural activities, pollution, and settlements. For example, in the Lari sub-district, increased population pressure decreased soil fertility, unreliable rainfall, and the search for food security forced farmers to encroach on the seemingly idle Upland Wetlands. Opportunities for wetland conservation lie in participatory approaches that can be applied at the local level to assist in conserving this vital natural resource. The main water of the Ruiru river comes from the Upland Wetlands harvested by the Nairobi Water and Waste Company in the Githunguri sub-district at the Ruiru dam. This research is critical because the water company does not have in-depth information about its catchment area, which leads to encroachment and ultimately rationing of water in the city of Nairobi. This study aims to document the causes of wetland degradation in the highlands, assess the level of community participation, and determine the level of awareness of the importance of wetlands and the possible contribution of farmer involvement in catchment management. The sampling method used to select the research unit was stratified and random sampling where farmers and Ruiru dam workers were given a questionnaire. Purposive sampling was used to determine the WARMA manager, WRUA officer, and six older people who were interviewed. 40 farmers from the Lari 107 settlement scheme where the wetlands are located and four workers of the Ruiru dam were given questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square package computer, T-test, and SPSS. Percentages for qualitative data are presented using tables, bar charts, and pie charts. The wetland mapping was carried out using GIS and Google Earth. The study results found that the total land cover of upland rice fields was 129.6 Ha after deducting 105.4. Ha for the last thirty years due to encroachment. The study revealed that 65% of respondents had lived in the area for more than 20 years. Farmers drain wetlands primarily for food supply (50%), generate income (25%), while 10% do so to control waterborne diseases. Participation rates are negligible, with only 2.5% of respondents ever participating in wetland conservation. Community-based conservation groups like WRUA still lack in this area. Environmental impacts include loss of biodiversity, destruction of ornithological habitat, and loss of hydro plant species. Social effects include outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, water pollution, and weak community conservation infrastructure. However, there is a chance for community involvement, where the majority of the population is ready to carry out conservation (X2 = 0.127, p = 0.001). The formation of community-based conservation groups such as the Water Resources Users Association, the Association of Riverland Owners, and the Watershed Advisory Committee was proposed as the primary solution. Devolution of water resources is also proposed to ensure local people benefit from selling water to city residents. Such efforts would provide an adequate supply of water to Nairobi and the surrounding satellite cities.