university of nairobi department of geography...

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UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

Department of Geography & Environmental Studies

Annual Report 2016

The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies offers a wide range of academic programmes leading to BA, BSc, BEd, MA, MSc and PhD degrees in diverse fields of geography and environmental studies. The department aspires to be a centre of international repute committed to scholarly excellence in geography and environmental studies. Our mission is to provide dynamic leadership in training and research in geography and environmental studies for sustainable development. The day-to-day operations in the department are guided by the following principles: professionalism and integrity; inclusiveness and equity; social and academic mentorship; and respect and conservation of the environment. “We wish you a very pleasant reading as you navigate through our annual report!”

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THE STAFF

No. No.

Professor 2 Part-Time Lecturer 1

Associate Professor 3 Tutorial Fellow 3

Senior Lecturer 12 Technical staff 7

Lecturer 11 Support /Administrative staff 2

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES

As part of its mandate in teaching and training, the department offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Undergraduate Programmes: (1) BA in Geography and Environmental Studies; (2) BSc in Geography and Environmental Studies; and (3) BEd in Geography

Master of Arts Programmes: (1) MA in Agricultural Geography; (2) MA in Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management; (3) MA in Climatology; (4) MA in Economic Geography; (5) MA in Environmental Planning and Management; (6) MA in Geomorphology; (7) MA in Population Geography; (8) MA in Transport Geography; (9) MA in Urban Geography; and (10) MA in Water Resources Management

Master of Science Programmes: (1) MSc in Hydrology; and (2) MSc in Sustainable Urban Development

PhD Programmes: PhD in all fields of Geography and Environmental Studies

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RESEARCH PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

In 2016, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies was involved in the following research projects and activities:

1. Climate Risks in Agriculture and Rural Development (Dr. B.N. Wambua)

2. Environmental and Social Management Framework (Dr. B.N. Wambua)

3. ESDA-SUD – Education for Sustainable Development in Africa - Sustainable Urban Development (Dr. S.O. Owuor, Prof. D.N. Mungai & Dr. A. Odingo)

4. FOODMETRES – Food Planning and Innovation for Sustainable Metropolitan Regions (Dr. S.O. Owuor & Dr. T. Mbatia)

5. HCP – Hungry Cities Partnership Project (Dr. S.O. Owuor & Dr. J. Walubwa)

6. IGERT – Integrated Graduate Education Research Traineeship Project (Dr. A.O. Odingo)

7. MMSDI – Maasai Mara Science and Development Initiative (Prof. R.S. Odingo, Prof. E.H.O. Ayiemba, Prof. E.M. Irandu, Dr. S.O. Owuor, Dr. A.O. Odingo & Dr. S.M. Mukhovi)

8. Past, Present and Future Trends of Mt Kenya Glacier Reduction (Dr. F. Mwaura)

9. Restoration of Water Quality Status in the Nairobi River Sub-Basins (Dr. S.M. Kithiia)

10. Socio-Economic and Ecological Assessment of Dagoretti (Thogoto) Forest Cover (Dr. T. Thenya)

11. STAKE – Stabilizing Kenya through Solving Forest Related Activities in Eastern Mau Ecosystem (Dr. T. Thenya)

12. Sustainable Governance of Food Systems in Kenya and Bolivia (Dr. B. Kiteme, Dr. S.O. Owuor, Prof. E.H.O. Ayiemba & Dr. S.M. Mukhovi)

13. UNPEC – Urban National Parks in Emerging Cities (Dr. T. Mbatia)

14. WASRIP – Water Sector Reforms and Interventions in Urban Kenya (Dr. S.O. Owuor)

“These are collaborative research programmes with other national, regional and global institutions”

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INTERNATIONAL LINKS AND COLLABORATIONS

Partnerships add value to our activities and are essential for linking global knowledge to local sector agenda, and for improving North-South and South-South collaboration. In 2016, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies continued to nurture formal Memoranda of Understandings with the following institutions and organizations:

INSTITUTION COUNTRY

1. Aarhus University Denmark

2. African Studies Centre-Leiden Netherlands

3. Centre for Development and Environment, University of Berne Switzerland

4. Centre for Training and Integrated Research in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands Development

Kenya/Switzerland

5. International Space University France

6. Justus-Liebig-University-Giessen Germany

7. Linkoping University Sweden

8. Mitsubishi Corporation Kenya/Japan

9. The United Nations University Japan

10. University of Bordeaux Montaigne France

11. University of Cologne Germany

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PUBLICATIONS

Ayiemba, E.H.O. (2016) Western Kenya’s labour out-migration in national development. In J.O.

Oucho (ed): Rural-Urban Migration and Urban-Rural Linkages: The Western Kenya Case. Nairob: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

Irandu, E. & Shah P. (2016) Development of cultural heritage tourism in Kenya: A strategy for diversification of tourism products. In A. Dessier & M. Njuguna (eds), Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Kenya. London: London: UCL Press, pp. 154-171.

Kiringe, J.W., Mwaura F. & Warinwa F. (2016) Characterization of Chyulu Hills watershed ecosystem services in South-Eastern Kenya. Environment and Natural Resources Research, 6 (3): 65-76.

Kiringe, J.W., Mwaura, F. & Warinwa F. (2016) Characterization of water source types and uses in Kirisia Forest watershed, Samburu County, Kenya. Environment and Natural Resources Research, 6 (3): 77-90.

Liza L. & Mwaura F. (2016) The variability in the generation, disposal and recycling of mobile phone e-waste according to social classes in Lang’ata Area, Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of Environment Pollution and Human Health, Vol. 4 (2): 42-51.

Manoa, D.O. & Mwaura F. (2016) Predator-proof bomas as a tool in mitigating human-predator conflict in Loitokitok Sub-County, Amboseli Region of Kenya. Natural Resources, 7: 28-39.

Masiga, D.S., Mwaura F. & Mukhovi S.M. (2016) Wildlife population change in Africa from the eyes of the public: The case of Mara Enoonkishu Conservancy in Southern Kenya. Natural Resources, 7: 434-444.

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Mbugua-Gitonga, A., Mwaura F. & Thenya T. (2016) Biotechnology and food security in Kenya: An assessment of public concerns on biosafety, public health and religious ethics. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology, 9 (3): 1-13.

Moronge, J.M. (2016) Modelling industrial production organization: A case study of food processing, textiles and leather industries in the City of Nairobi. The International Journal of Development Dialogue, 1 (1): 43-60.

Mwaura, F. (2016) Wildlife heritage ownership and utilization in Kenya: Past, present and future. In In A. Dessier & M. Njuguna (eds), Conservation of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Kenya. London: London: UCL Press.

Mwaura F., Kiringe J.W. & F.Warinwa (2016) Land cover dynamics in the Chyulu watershed ecosystem, Makueni-Kajiado Counties, Kenya. International Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 4 (3): 17-26.

Oluoko-Odingo, A.A., Ogallo L.A., Oludhe C. & Odingo R.S. (2016) Climate Risks, Gender Perspectives and Livelihoods in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). Charleston SC: USA.

Sithole, B., Birch-Thomsen T., Mertz O., Hill T., Bruun T.B. & Thenya T. (2016). Collaborative education across continents: Lessons from a partnership on sustainable resource management education in higher education and capacity building in Africa. In H.K. Adriansen, L.M. Madsen & S. Jensen (eds) Higher Education and Capacity Building in Africa: The Geography and Power of Knowledge under Changing Conditions. Routledge Studies in African Development.

Warinwa, F., Mwaura F., Kiringe J.W. & A.O. Ndubi (2016) Land cover dynamics in the Kirisia Forest ecosystem, Samburu County, Kenya. Advances in Remote Sensing, 5: 168-182.

PAPERS PRESENTED IN SEMINARS & CONFERENCES

Mbatia, T. (2016) Analysis of conservation interventions to preserve the ecosystem of Nairobi National Park: Viabilities, futures and strategies of conserving an urban protected area. Resilience in East African Landscapes (REAL) ITN Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, January.

Mbatia, T. (2016) Youth and urban planning: Right to the city. Urban Thinkers Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, 10-11 February.

Mbatia, T. (2016) Contributions of youth-led innovations to urban environmental management

https://www.routledge.com/products/search?author=Hanne%20Kirstine%20Adriansen

https://www.routledge.com/products/search?author=Lene%20M%C3%B8ller%20Madsen

https://www.routledge.com/products/search?author=Stig%20Jensen

https://searchworks.stanford.edu/catalog?q=%22Routledge+studies+in+African+development.%22&search_field=search_series



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and social entrepreneurship. ESDA-NGR Workshop, Cape Town, South Africa, 4-6 March. Mwaura, F. (2016) Strategic Environmental Assessment practice in Kenya. Consultative meeting

for developing guidelines for conducting SEAs for nuclear power programmes in the IAEA member countries, Vienna, Austria, 14-18 March.

Owuor, S.O. (2016) Urbanization and food security in Nairobi, Kenya. Public Lecture at the Global South Studies Center, University of Cologne, Germany, 15 November.

Owuor, S.O. & J. Walubwa (2016) Household food and nutrition in Nairobi city, Kenya. World Nutrition Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 30 August – 2 September.

Owuor, S.O. (2016) Some aspects of household food security situation in Nairobi city, Kenya. International Workshop, Balsillie School of International Affairs, Ontario, Canada, 18 July.

Thenya, T. (2016) Stabilising Kenya through solving forest related conflicts: Lessons learnt and tools developed. STAKE Dissemination Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, July.

Thenya, T. (2016) National appropriate mitigation actions for the charcoal sector in Kenya. Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Workshop, Naivasha, Kenya, 21-24 June.

Thenya, T. (2016) Forest and landscape restoration opportunities in Kenya. Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources REDD+ Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya, 23 March.

Thenya, T. (2016) National appropriate mitigation actions for the charcoal sector in Kenya. Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Workshop, Naivasha, Kenya, 27-29 January.

Walubwa, J. (2016) Contested s(pl)aces of water provision in the post 2015 agenda: A case study of Soweto East, Nairobi. AEGIS Summer School, Cagliari, Italy, 21-25 June.

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CORPORATE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSILIBITY

The University of Nairobi Geography Students Society (UNGSS) participated in a number corporate social and environmental responsibility activities such as environmental clean-ups, tree-planting, World Water Day and World Environment Day, among others.

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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & VISIBILITY

In 2016, the following staff members were involved in academic-related international travels

Name of Staff City/Country Nature of Travel

Prof. E.H.O. Ayiemba Bordeaux, France PhD Defense at University of Bordeaux

Prof. G.O. Krhoda Geneva, Switzerland IUCN Wise Up Annual Partners Planning Meeting

Minnesota, USA Daystar University US Board Meeting

Dr. S.O. Owuor Bordeaux, France PhD Defense at University of Bordeaux

Lusaka, Zambia ESDA Nest Generation Researchers Meeting

Cologne, Germany Public lecture at the University of Cologne

Fort Portal, Uganda 2016 Methodological Summer School

Ontario, Canada Hungry Cities Partnership Project Meeting

Redut, Mauritius DRUSSA Leadership and Benchmarking Conference

Cologne, Germany GSSC Partnership Meeting

Cape Town, South Africa Hungry Cities Partnership Project Meeting

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Dr. S.M. Mukhovi Santa Cruz, Bolivia Workshop on Food System Sustainability

Dr. F. Mwaura Vienna, Austria International Atomic Energy Association Meeting

Dr. A.O. Odingo Mexico City, Mexico AWID Board Meeting

Lusaka, Zambia ESDA Nest Generation Researchers Meeting

Kumasi, Ghana ESDA Consortium Meeting

Bahia, Brazil AWID International Forum

Dr. J.K. Omoke Brisbane, Australia IWA World Water Conference

Dr. T. Mbatia Bordeaux, France PhD Defense at University of Bordeaux

Cape Town, South Africa ESDA Nest Generation Researchers Meeting

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2016 POSTGRADUATE STUDIES GRADUATION LIST

NAME DEGREE AWARDED THESIS/PROJECT TOPIC

1. Shah Parita S. PhD in Biogeography Domestication and application of biodiversity related Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in Kenya

2. Andahi A. William

MA in Agricultural Geography

Socio-economic determinants of sustainable land management practices among small holder farmers in Sabatia sub-County, Kenya

3. Ombogo Linda Akinyi

MA in Climatology Rainfall trends and flooding in the Sondu Miriu river basin

4. Aseto Susan Atieno

MA in Environmental Planning and Management

Waste management in higher education institutions: A case study of University of Nairobi, Kenya

5. Chepkorir Rael MA in Environmental Planning and Management

Community-based initiatives in wildlife conservation around protected areas: A case study of Nairobi National Park, Kenya

6. Gichigo Mercy Wangui


The influence of socio-cultural and economic factors on the adoption of ecological sanitation facility: A case study of Mathare

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slum of Ngong Town, Kajiado County, Kenya

7. Kamau Marygoretti Wawira


Assessment of indigenous tree species conservation in subsistence agricultural production systems: A case study of Lari sub-County, Kiambu County

8. Kilaha Clara Maria


An assessment of the management strategies and wildlife population trends in Nairobi National Park

9. Magal Raphael Pkemoi


Risk assessment of the coping and adaptation mechanisms for pastoralists to climate change and variability: A case study of Kongelai Ward, West Pokot County, Kenya

10. Mbugua Agnes Wambui


Biotechnology and food security in Kenya: An assessment of public perception and environmental concerns on genetically modified maize production

11. Miriti Eric Mwenda


Assessment of effectiveness of community participation in the management of Ondiri Swamp, Kiambu County

12. Munene Anne Nyaruai


The potentials of agro-forestry as an adaptation strategy to mitigate the impacts of climate change: A case study of Kiine community, Kirinyaga County

13. Muthuri Joy Sarah Nkirote


Effects of farm technologies on sweet potato production in Manyatta sub-County, Embu County

14. Mwangi Elizabeth Njeri


Effects of gated communities to low income neighbouring communities and how this impacts of functional integration: A case study of Athi River, Machakos County

15. Mwanjala Othniel Mwabili


An assessment of the effects of canalization on the water quality and birdlife in Lake Naivasha

16. Ndubi Antony Oduya


Analysis of spatial and temporal land cover change and associated drivers in Eastern Mau forest

17. Njuguna Lilian Njeri


Assessment of the impacts of development densification on water supply: A case study of Upper Hill area in Nairobi

18. Nyanchama Shiellah Ogweno


Impact of corporate social responsibility projects on rural household poverty reduction: The case of KENGEN’s water projects in West Koguta sub-Location, Kisumu

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County

19. Nzinzi Mainga MA in Environmental Planning and Management

Assessment of diversity and role of non-timber forest products in the livelihoods of rural communities in Kibauni Hills Forest, Machakos County

20. Okello Lameck Ochieng


Vulnerability of schools in urban informal settlements to hazards and disasters: A case study of Nairobi’s Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlement

21. Runyora Tabitha Njambi


Waste management practices in the fruit value chain development: The case of mango fruit in Lower Eastern and Nairobi Counties of Kenya

22. Sitati Asha Mutenyo


Environmental, health and safety implications of tobacco production in Malakisi Division, Bungoma County, Kenya

23. Tak Shalini MA in Environmental Planning and Management

An assessment of occupational health and safety risks in the hospitality industry: The case of Sarova Stanley Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

24. Wanjohi Purity Nyawira


An assessment of attitude and behaviour towards littering among citizens of Nairobi City

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