GREEN GEMS IN THE VALLEY BOTTOM: DEVELOPING A CONSERVATION ETHIC ABOUT THE WETLANDS OF KISII
What is Kisii County’s most abundant natural resource? I would argue that is its people. Its seems, the residents of this blessed county have been going about God’s command to be fruitful and multiply with great gusto! Most counties pale in the shadow of this region’s demography and level of agricultural production. Unfortunately the county is bursting at the seams with people, putting pressure on the environment.
Environmental degradation has caused the destruction of water catchment areas. Depleting vegetation has caused soil erosion and leaching of chemical fertilizers into both surface and undersurface water sources. Coffee and tea processing factories dotted throughout the hillsides contribute to water pollution through the discharge of waste matter into rivers. The unsustainable mining of soapstone greatly contributes to hillside degradation. Related to mining, are increases in the incidence of landslides through uncovered quarry sites which also provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increase the spread of diseases like malaria.
A 2005 study by Dr JM Mironga on the effect of farming practices on Wetlands in Kisii, found that wetlands have been disappearing at a rate of about 1050 square kilometers per year in Kenya making wetlands one of Kenya’s rarest ecosystems. Once resplendent with wetlands, Kisii only has a few remaining in valley floors. Reclamation is seen as a form of positive development but the truth is leaving the wetlands intact and managing them properly rather than reclaiming them is much more profitable option. Wetlands have an extraordinarily higher productivity than land that is up slope. Some wetlands are purported to be able to produce as much as eight times as much plant matter as an average wheat field.
Wetlands are among the most dynamic ecosystems on earth. They mitigate against floods and prevent soil erosion by storing excess amounts of water during heavy rainfall, thus reducing floodwater volumes downstream. The slow movement of water enhances infiltration that recharges wells, springs and aquifers. The lackadaisical flow of water in wetlands retains silt and sediment and protects riverbanks from erosion and reduces the flow of toxins consequently improving the quality of recipient watercourses and water bodies. Their unique role as a habitat for an array of plants and animals -some of which are endemic, endangered and migratory, makes them an in-situ bank for genetic resources increasing their value in tourism, cultural activities and scientific research.
The Kisii Valley bottoms are some of the largest wetlands in the country. Manipulating and altering ecosystems for agricultural purposes alters the structure and function of agro ecosystems making them very different from natural ecosystems. Presently the administration of wetlands is handled by various bodies, whose mandates vary. The main aim of management has been to boost the ecological, economic, aesthetic and scientific values of the wildlife habitats for the economic benefits of Kenya and as a legacy for future generations. This understanding has accorded several large wetlands protection status. This system of management leaves out many important wetlands unprotected and under threat of degradation. This is what is happening in the case of the wetlands in Kisii.
We have a problem that requires a long-term solution. A technology is a method for solving a problem. It is systems that have been built to assist with various issues. Since we are dealing with ecological systems, our solution needs to approach problems from a holistic point of view. Eco-technology is a class of technology that includes a living ecosystem as part of the method for solving a problem. It consists on non-living part that is designed by humans and a living part (the ecosystem) that self-designs. Environmentalists William Mitsch and Sven Jorgensen have defined ecological engineering as ‘the design of human society with its natural environment for the benefit of both. It views humans as part of, rather than apart from, nature. Restoration ecology, sustainable agroecology, habitat reconstruction, ecosystem rehabilitation, river and wetland restoration and reclamation ecology are related to ecological engineering. If the cause of disease, pest, soil degradation etc. is imbalance, then the objective of ecological engineering is to restore the equilibrium. Ecology refers to this as resilience –the maintenance of the system’s functions to compensate for external stress factors. It necessitates a detailed understanding of the character of the agro-ecosystems and the principles by which they function.
In his book “The Science of Sustainable Agriculture”, Agro-ecologist Miguel Altieri demonstrates how agro-ecology offers fundamental ecological principles on how to study, design and administer agro-ecosystems that are productive, enduring and conserve natural resources by providing a balanced environment, sustainable harvest, natural pest control and biologically enhanced soil fertility through optimal recycling of nutrients and organic matter turnover, close energy flows, water and soil conservation, and balanced pest–natural enemy populations. The strategy uses the complementary relationships of crops, trees and animals in space and time. Diverse systems encourage complex food webs which require more potential connections and exchanges among members’ connections and interactions among members. He goes on to say that any serious attempt at developing sustainable agricultural technologies must bring to bear local knowledge and skills on the research process. It is of great importance that farmers be directly involved in the formulation of the research agenda and be active participants in the process of technological innovation and dissemination. The focus should be in strengthening local research and problem-solving capacities.
Dr Mironga’s study established that existing farming practices in Kisii district and the impact on wetlands is largely dependent on the level of environmental awareness, knowledge and attitudes of farmers. He found that decisions critical for the future of wetlands are taken with no concern for farmers’ knowledge of the harmful effects of their practices and the ways they can overcome them. Additionally, farmers’ participation in the formulation of environmental policies or implementation of management plans for wetlands has been totally ignored by the government. Our society wrongly assumes that rural people do not understand the issues relating to resource conservation and cannot, therefore be entrusted with this responsibility. He adds that Knowledge of the relationship between farming practices and wetland conservation is central to the development of sustainable farming and the formulation and implementation of effective management measures to conserve wetland resources in Kisii district.