ku koech – iaia-27 the 27 th iaia conference- 2007, seoul, korea impact assessment of kenya’s...

Koech – IAIA-27Koech – IAIA-27

KUTHE 27THE 27THTH IAIA CONFERENCE- IAIA CONFERENCE-

2007, SEOUL, KOREA2007, SEOUL, KOREA

IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF KENYA’S BIODIVERSITY AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF KENYA’S BIODIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURE: CONTRIBUTIONS OF AGRICULTURE: CONTRIBUTIONS OF

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICESMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

By:By:

Prof. Michael K.KoechProf. Michael K.KoechDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta Department of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta

UniversityUniversity

P. O. Box 43844, Nairobi. 00100 Kenya, Tel: 254 (020) P. O. Box 43844, Nairobi. 00100 Kenya, Tel: 254 (020) 600520; Fax: 254 (020) 608731600520; Fax: 254 (020) 608731

E-mail: ‘Prof Koech’[email protected]: ‘Prof Koech’[email protected]

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KU ContentsContents

Kenya’s Biodiversity and AgricultureKenya’s Biodiversity and Agriculture Linkages between Climate, Biodiversity Linkages between Climate, Biodiversity

and Agricultureand Agriculture Impacts of Climate on Biodiversity and Impacts of Climate on Biodiversity and

AgricultureAgriculture Contributions of Meteorology to Impact Contributions of Meteorology to Impact

Assessment of Biodiversity and AgricultureAssessment of Biodiversity and Agriculture RecommendationsRecommendations

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KUKenya’s Biodiversity and Kenya’s Biodiversity and

AgricultureAgricultureBiodiversityBiodiversity Kenya has an estimated 35,000 known species Kenya has an estimated 35,000 known species

of plants, animals and micro-organisms.of plants, animals and micro-organisms.

Plays important role in the present and future Plays important role in the present and future development - Tourism is a key foreign development - Tourism is a key foreign exchange earner.exchange earner.

Kenya has five most important forests Kenya has five most important forests ecosystems referred to as “water towers”, ecosystems referred to as “water towers”, namely Mau Forest Mt. Elgon, Mt. Kenya, namely Mau Forest Mt. Elgon, Mt. Kenya, Aberdares and Cherangani forestsAberdares and Cherangani forests

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AgricultureAgricultureBiodiversity (Cont’)Biodiversity (Cont’) Under threat from human activitiesUnder threat from human activities - - habitat habitat

loss, over-exploitation, local air and water loss, over-exploitation, local air and water pollution; and the introduction of exotic pollution; and the introduction of exotic speciesspecies

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AgricultureAgricultureAgricultureAgriculture Like tourism, agricultural sector is key to Like tourism, agricultural sector is key to

Kenya’s economy. it is currently the leading Kenya’s economy. it is currently the leading foreign exchange earner.foreign exchange earner.

Agricultural biodiversity provide ecological Agricultural biodiversity provide ecological services such as nutrient cycling, services such as nutrient cycling, decomposition of organic matter, decomposition of organic matter, maintenance of soil fertility, pollination, pest maintenance of soil fertility, pollination, pest and disease regulation. and disease regulation.

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KULinkages between Climate, Linkages between Climate,

Biodiversity and AgricultureBiodiversity and Agriculture There exists complex inter-relationship There exists complex inter-relationship

between climate, biodiversity and between climate, biodiversity and agriculture/ human activities.agriculture/ human activities.

Climatic condition in a given locality Climatic condition in a given locality determines its biodiversity and the kind of determines its biodiversity and the kind of agricultural activity to be undertaken. eg. agricultural activity to be undertaken. eg. Arid and Semi arid fauna and flora, Arid and Semi arid fauna and flora, temperate fuana and flora, rainfed temperate fuana and flora, rainfed agriculture, irrigation agriculture.agriculture, irrigation agriculture.

Alteration to biodiversity which can be Alteration to biodiversity which can be through agriculture or any other human through agriculture or any other human activity affect the climatic conditions of a activity affect the climatic conditions of a locality.locality.

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KUImpacts of Climate on Biodiversity Impacts of Climate on Biodiversity

and Agricultureand Agriculture A cyclic pattern of drought episodes with A cyclic pattern of drought episodes with

return periods of 6-10 years emerges in return periods of 6-10 years emerges in most districts in Kenya. In recent years, most districts in Kenya. In recent years, critical drought experienced throughout critical drought experienced throughout the country were in 1984, 1994 and 2000.the country were in 1984, 1994 and 2000.

The vegetation indices (VI) data from The vegetation indices (VI) data from NOAA AVHRR and other meteorology NOAA AVHRR and other meteorology satellites provide conditions, intensities satellites provide conditions, intensities and duration of droughts in different and duration of droughts in different ecological regions. ecological regions.

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KUImpacts of Climate on Biodiversity Impacts of Climate on Biodiversity

and Agricultureand Agriculture

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KU

Contributions of Meteorology to Contributions of Meteorology to Impact Assessment of Impact Assessment of

Biodiversity and AgricultureBiodiversity and Agriculture

The description of the baseline information The description of the baseline information for most proposed projects constitutes for most proposed projects constitutes climatic data such as; rainfall, temperature, climatic data such as; rainfall, temperature, humidity and sunshine.humidity and sunshine.

Meteorological data are also utilized in the Meteorological data are also utilized in the

prediction of anticipated impacts of a prediction of anticipated impacts of a proposed projects.proposed projects.

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KU

Contributions of Meteorology to Contributions of Meteorology to Impact Assessment of Biodiversity Impact Assessment of Biodiversity

and Agriculture (Cont’)and Agriculture (Cont’)

Meteorological services can provide Meteorological services can provide relevant information such as location, size, relevant information such as location, size, wind speeds, temperature for monitoring wind speeds, temperature for monitoring phenomena such as fire and locust invasion phenomena such as fire and locust invasion that threatens both biodiversity and that threatens both biodiversity and agricultureagriculture

Using multiple satellite sensors, active fires Using multiple satellite sensors, active fires are identified, displayed through web based are identified, displayed through web based GIS and combined with additional ancillary GIS and combined with additional ancillary datasets for rapid management of fires.datasets for rapid management of fires.

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KU

Contributions of Meteorology to Contributions of Meteorology to Impact Assessment of Biodiversity Impact Assessment of Biodiversity

and Agriculture (Cont’)and Agriculture (Cont’)

ACTIVE FIRES (2001)

1km Resolution MODIS active fire detections (red spots) super-imposed on MODIS 16 day NDVI

MODIS

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KU RecommendationsRecommendations The Government of Kenya needs to provide The Government of Kenya needs to provide

meteorological data/information to the meteorological data/information to the public at affordable costpublic at affordable cost

There is need for Kenya Meteorological There is need for Kenya Meteorological Department to resume weather forecasting Department to resume weather forecasting through electronic media (TV, KBC) news as through electronic media (TV, KBC) news as it was done in the past.it was done in the past.

KMD to utilize current techniques and KMD to utilize current techniques and technologies of data recording and technologies of data recording and processing so that they can provide reliable processing so that they can provide reliable and accurate information for use in Impact and accurate information for use in Impact Assessment studies and other uses.Assessment studies and other uses.

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KU END OF PRESENTATIONEND OF PRESENTATION

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR ATTENTION !!!

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ku koech – iaia-27 the 27 th iaia conference- 2007, seoul, korea impact assessment of kenya’s...

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