3. FARMING SYSTEMS IN KENYA AND THEIR AGROFORESTRY POTENTIAL

3.1 Kenya's ecological diversity

Kenya's land area covers a very wide range of ecological zones. Based on moisture and temperature regimes, the country has been divided into seven main agroclimatic zones, and attempts have been made to further sub-divide these seven zones. Jaetzold and Schmidt (1982/83) divided the country into agro-ecological zones mainly on the basis of altitude and rainfall.

The agro-ecological zones can be said to give an indication of what may be grown in a particular area. Within each zone, local communities may opt for various land-use systems. Their choice will depend on socio-economic factors such as population density, access to markets, level of education, infrastructure and support services, farming practices, the tenure situation, culture and traditions, and also on Government policies. Depending on such factors, therefore, the land-use pattern may evolve differently in different areas even if the ecological conditions are similar.

When discussing the agroforestry potential of various parts of Kenya, both ecological and socio-economic factors need to be taken into account. Hence, it is most appropriate to tie the discussion to actual land-use systems. Such analysis can help us to judge which agroforestry technologies and which tree species are appropriate and the potential that improved agroforestry practices have for solving the particular land-use problems experienced by farmers in each area.

Land-use systems vary from place to place, however. For example, the management of the coffee-based system in the central highlands is different from that in western Kenya. It is obvious that any division of this nature cannot be made with rigid boundaries—and the change from one zone to another is usually gradual. Transitional systems incorporating aspects of two adjoining systems are often recognizable. An example is the tea/coffee zone where farmers grow both crops.

The following presentation is based largely on the findings from two land-use studies that ICRAF participated in during 1987 and 1988. Both studies were based on the "Diagnosis and Design" (D&D) methodology. The first one was under a regional agroforestry programme covering the bimodal highlands of eastern and central Africa (Minae and Akyeampong, 1988). The second study was specifically planned to cover the rest of Kenya, particularly the coastal and ASAL areas (Minae et al., 1988). The results of both studies were presented at the Second Kenya National Seminar on Agroforestry.

These studies involved analysing land use by describing the main activities and components of the system in terms of organizational structure, farm resources, socio-economic situation (including land-tenure system), and physical and environmental factors. The performance of each system was also analysed in terms of levels of inputs, outputs and efficiency in utilizing farm resources. Finally, the constraints of the system were identified, including production potentials that are not fully exploited. In so doing, the major causes of the constraints were also identified.

In the second phase of the analysis, proposals were made for agroforestry interventions by matching agroforestry technologies with land-use requirements.

Figure 3.1 The major land-use systems in Kenya

There was extensive use of secondary data in the studies, notably the Farm Management Handbook of Kenya (Jaetzold and Schmidt, 1982/83).

The land-use systems identified in these studies were based on what were considered the main or most important components. In most cases, the names coincided with the names of the agro-ecological zones in the Farm Management Handbook.

There are major differences between small-scale subsistence-oriented production systems and large-scale commercial production. For these reasons, the two are recognized as separate systems despite similarities in the components. The focus here is on the small-scale systems.

In the following sections 12 major land-use systems will be described and their agroforestry potential discussed. These land-use systems are:

•  The tea-based system

•  The coffee-based system

•  The pyrethrum-potato system

•  The sugar-based system

•  The maize-dairy system

•  The subsistence food crops system

•  The cereal-grain-legumes system

•  The wheat-dairy system

•  The livestock-cereal system

•  The cashewnut-coconut system

•  The group-ranching system

•  The communal pastoralism system.

Fuelwood__________

This chapter is based largely on Minae, Kamau and Jama, 1988, with additions and modifications by Fahlström, Getahun and Tengnäs.