Restoring Degraded Rangelands in Northern Kenya Using Buffel Grass
Abstract
This review paper seeks to explore the potential of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.)in the fight against land degradation within arid and semiarid areas of the world, especially Kenya. Soil degradation impacts 1. 5 billion people globally and more than 60% of the Earth’sland surface experience poverty, hunger, and environmental pollution. The current drought cases in ASAL countries, including Kenya, exhibit the need to develop effective land restoration approaches. Several studies have reported that Buffel grass has improved germination and initial growth rates, improved disease control, improved water use efficiency, and increased resistance to weeds, which makes it a tool that could significantly alleviate problems related to soil erosion, low soil fertility, and land degradation. This review integrates the literature and case study evidence and presents practical recommendations for policy makers, landowners and managers and all interested inland restoration. This study highlights how buffel grass can be incorporated into sustainable land management practices while considering risks to the environment.
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Introduction
Currently, more than 40% of the Earth'sland surface is experiencing degradation, and this percentage is increasing (Shao et al., 2024). Land degradation refers to the ongoing or prolonged depletion of natural resources on land. This poses a direct danger to the well-being of almost half of the world'spopulation that depend on these land resources (UNCCD, 2022). Persistent land degradation will amplify the occurrence of poverty, hunger, and environmental pollution (Jiang et al., 2022). Areas that have been degraded will become more susceptible to disasters such as disease outbreaks, droughts, floods, or wildfires (UNCCD, 2022). As the world continues to suffers the impacts of climate change, a cyclical relationship between land degradation and poverty will become prevalent in several regions, particularly in arid environments (UNCCD, 2017). Degradation affects 12 million hectares of land each year, with estimates ranging from 10% to 20% of the world'sdrylands (James et al. 2013). A larger population in the Africa will be affected by this phenomenon as nearly half of Africa'spopulation lives in dry and semiarid rangelands, which makeup approximately 43% of the continent'stotal area according to James et al. (2013).
Approximately 65–70% of the rangelands in Sub-Saharan Africa are categorized as moderately to severely degraded, meaning that they have experienced a large decrease in plant cover, an increase in undesirable species, or both (Tamene and Le 2015). Kenya is among the nations most impacted by land degradation in terms of its degree, severity, and economic situation, as more than 80% of her landmass is inarable (Mganag et al., 2022). The North Kenya region is characterized by dry and semiarid conditions and has experienced delayed growth and underdeveloped economic conditions. Despite being the habit for 30% and 70% of humans and livestock, respectively, the area has long been plagued by poverty and drought which will be worsened by the continued degradation (Mganga et al., 2022). Land degradation in these areas is caused by climate change and poorly managed human activities, which accelerate desertification in these regions. Figure 1 below shows the land degradation status of drylands according to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, highlighting the critical need for targeted conservation efforts in these areas, including Kenya.
FIGURE 1: Vulnerability of Drylands to Land Degradation (Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)
In 2022, the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) counties of Kenya experienced unprecedented drought. This drought, which began at the end of 2020 and continued with five consecutive below-average rainy seasons, led to a significant increase in humanitarian needs according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) ("Kenya 2022 drought response in review," 2023. The capacity of communities in the ASAL areas to cope was weakened by successive droughts, which led to a dramatic increase in food insecurity and severe malnutrition throughout the year. From January to December 2022, the number of individuals experiencing high acute food insecurity jumped eighty percent, rising from a projected 2.4 million in crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse to approximately 4.4 million, with 1.2 million falling into emergency (IPC Phase 4) ("Kenya 2022 drought response in review," 2023. By December 2022, 2.5 million cattle had died due to the drought according to OCHA.
Approximately 885,000 children under five years of age and older than 115,700 women who were pregnant or nursing were projected to be acutely malnourished and in dire need of treatment by October 2022 ("Kenya 2022 drought response in review," 2023. In some regions, the incidence of acute malnutrition exceeds the emergency threshold. In addition to having to travel further to obtain food and water, women and girls saw an upsurge in gender-based violence, including sexual assault, early marriage, and female genital mutilation ("Kenya 2022 drought response in review," 2023. Reports of individuals seeking new livelihoods and aid in urban and peri-urban regions of the ASAL region increased, mostly from pastoralist groups. Additionally, in 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that approximately 45,000 people seeking refuge in Kenya came from neighboring Somalia ("Kenya 2022 drought response in review," 2023. The socioeconomic dynamics of the ASAL regions are influenced to a greater extent by the adverse effects of severe climate events and droughts. Hence, finding appropriate strategies to reverse this trend and establish a thriving ecosystem is necessary. Due to its extreme drought tolerance and ability to endure severe grazing, buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.)is extensively cultivated in tropical and subtropical dry rangelands worldwide. Buffel grass has been shown to have significant potential to mitigate soil erosion, enhance soil fertility, and restore degraded landscapes (Nkombe, 2016; Lebbink et al., 2021). This review explores the mechanisms through which buffel grass contributes to land restoration and the best practices for its management to reverse the land degradation problem in the Kenyan rangelands. Here, we review the available literature to explore the role of buffel grass in restoring degraded rangelands and highlights the socioeconomic benefits of Buffel grass cultivation, including its impact on local communities' livelihoods and resilience against climate change. By synthesizing the current research and case studies, this review aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers, land managers, and stakeholders involved inland restoration efforts in these fragile landscapes.
Conclusion
Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) has significant potential for preventing land degradation in arid and semiarid regions, especially in Kenya. Due to its tolerance to drought and high ability to withstand overgrazing, it is useful for reestablishing degraded soils, controlling soil erosion and improving soil fertility in many rangeland landscapes. Moreover, there are socioeconomic advantages associated with growing Buffel grass, including an enhanced standard of living for people in the region in the wake of climate change. The features of high adaptability, fast growth rates, and well-developed root systems help grass establish more hostile conditions and enhance the existing stocks of carbon and ecosystem stability. However, Buffel grass should be adopted very carefully because the impact of this grass on native wildlife and the balance of ecosystems could be rather negative. Although Buffel grass can enhance the quality of degraded lands, it has certain disadvantages, such as elevating the level of fire intensity and putting pressure on indigenous species. However, management practices could playa critical role in optimizing the use of buffel grass as a forage and in restoring land in addition to reducing the negative impacts caused by its utilization.
V. RECOMMENDATIONS Integration into Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Strategies: County governments and national land use agencies should include buffel grass in SLM measures where vulnerability to degradation is most likely to occur. The relevant authorities should develop guidelines and best practices that will enhance its benefits while minimizing its negative impacts on the environment.
Capacity Building and Education: Local communities and farmers as well as landowners should be educated on the advantages and disadvantages of growing Buffel grass. Another recommendation is to strengthen the participation of communities in the restoration of land, thus supporting more of their views and local knowledge on land management. Balancing Conservation and Utilization: County and national governments should develop strategies to balance the use of Buffel grass with the protection of native biodiversity. Additionally, the planting of buffel grass together with other native plants should be promoted to improve the stability and variety of the ecosystem.
Policy and Regulatory Frameworks: Policies and legal instruments should be established concerning the use of buffel grass, especially for land restoration. Additionally, collaboration with relevant government departments, NGOs, and local people to achieve sustainable land management efforts is recommended.
Climate adaptation and mitigation: Identify areas that include buffel grass in other climate action approaches, such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, since the plant is capable of enhancing carbon sequestration. Authorities should explore opportunities for carbon credits and other incentives to promote the use of buffel grass inland restoration efforts. Therefore, even though buffel grass is very effective for land restoration and as a forage in arid and semiarid landscapes, it must be used cautiously, with a special focus on ecological consequences. Hence, through the use of research and partnerships, Buffel grass can help in reclaiming degraded landscapes and providing resilience against the effects of global climate change. STATEMENTS AND DECLARATIONS The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the paper content.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors are grateful, first, to the Buffer grass practitioners in Kenya for their contribution to the realization of this study and, second, to all the land managers interested inland restoration by Buffer grass.
