Lake Bogoria Landscape (LBL) is known locally, nationally and regionally for important wildlife species, including the lesser flamingo and the Greater Kudu. The combination of landforms, biodiversity content, availability of water and livestock feeds makes this site important at community, national and global levels. The LBL being the surrounding of the National Reserve of international significance is at risk from degradation arising from unsustainable exploitation and management of resources due to poverty, poor land use, and inadequate natural pasture, persistent droughts overstocking and unsustainable farming systems. It is against this background that the Nooseiya Self Help Group Based Organization intends to amplify pasture production for livestock production, environmental conservation and enhancement of the social well-being
The LBL and the Lake Bogoria National Reserve (LBNR) has been designated as an important bird area (by Birdlife international) with over 373 species of birds. Globally threatened bird species found at the lake and its terrestrial landscape includes; the grey-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum), the lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor), Maritial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) and the Egyptian vulture. The terrestrial zone of the reserve supports a number of mammals including Leopard (Panthera pardus), Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Impala (Aepyceros melampus), Dikdik (Rhynchotragus kirkii), Olive Baboon (Papio anubis), Grant?s gazelle (Nanger granti), Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis), Blue Duiker (Philantomba monticola) and Aadvark (Orycteropeus afer). One of the globally threatened mammals found in Bogoria is the greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepciseros). All this depend on the LBL ecosystem for their existence. Dominant grasses include; Sporobolus ioclados, Dactyolectenium aegyptium, Chloris virgata and Digitaria velutina. Shrubs include; Grewia tenax, G. bicolor, Acalypha fruticosa and Acacia mellifera. The most dominant tree species is Acacia tortilis. Other community types include mixtures of Balanites aegyptica, Combretum spp., Ficus spp., and Terminalia spp. Evergreen and semi deciduous bushland cover large areas along stream valley and other inhospitable areas. Despite Lake Bogoria National Reserve being a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) is currently at risk from environmental degradation arising from unsustainable resource exploitation and ecologically negative catchment-wide processes such as unsustainable farming practices. The natural vegetation within the landscape serves provisioning, regulatory and environmental services. The vegetation in the area is the food to the animals inhabiting at the landscape. The interrelationship between pasture production and other components of the LBL ecosystem is complex. The pastures especially Masai love grass (Eragrostic superba), Bufel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), and Enteropogon macrostachyus if well-established can transform the lives of the local residents through livestock production and therefore contribute immensely to the local and national economies. In particular, Eragrostic superba is forage for bees since they obtain nectar from the grass, maintenance of soil fertility, soil erosion control through vegetation cover apart from been main feed for livestock. Much effort need to be directed to pasture production both Cenchrus Ciliaris and Eragrostic Superba since serves a lot in both environmental conservation and socio-economic importance. The proposed project will also lead to increased food for livestock hence increased milk production and quality meat. Involvement of communities in pasture production will lead to reduced pressure on the existing natural resource base and thus aid in the conservation of the lake and the LBL in general. Such targeted effort will lead to enough livestock feeds and also socioeconomic development in the area.
The quality pasture production systems within the LBL will not only lead to increased livestock feeds in the area but also controlled soil erosion, vegetation cover, improved soil fertility, forage for bees and conservation of other wild species of flora and fauna and address the issues of food security, nutrition and improved household livelihood. The residents will draw benefits from the pasture and conserve natural pasture for the resident wild animals hence reducing the over-reliance on the benefits accrued from the reserve. The efforts will address the dependence syndrome and counter the perceived lack of benefits by people living adjacent to the National Reserve which in most cases is the basis of conflicts between the management of LBNR and the adjacent communities who feel alienated in terms of sharing of revenues that accrue from both consumptive and non-consumptive utilization of the LBNR resources. The pastures can be harvested and baled and used as livestock feed during dry seasons. The farmers will further benefit by selling this baled grass to other livestock keepers and therefore derive some income for household use and thus an income revenue stream for families.
The development of a strategic intervention aimed at improving pasture production within the landscape in order to mitigate human-wildlife conflict on competition of livestock feed. When there is enough planted pasture to serve larger number of livestock in the area, the wildlife also along the LBL will obtain enough natural pasture due to reduced competition from domesticated livestock hence reducing the LBL wide environmental problems and also resolve emerging resource use conflicts amongst stakeholders will be paramount. The human population within the Lake Bogoria Landscape (LBL) that is typically arid and semi-arid lands is less dense, dispersed and sometimes concentrated around the water sources, grazing areas