LAND USE LAND COVER CHANGES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION: A CASE STUDY OF KEUMBU REGION KISII COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Keumbu Region in Kisii County is experiencing a high rate of land use / cover changes which has affected food production significantly. The agricultural land fragmentations, high population increase and urbanization has led to decrease of agricultural land, food production and impacted on agricultural production and biodiversity an effect which has left the rural livelihoods food insecure. Study explored land use /cover changes, food production trends and main drivers behind deteriorating agricultural land, relationship between population, land use changes and implications on food production and security. The land use / cover changes classification of landsat TM image and change analysis done in Erdas Imagine with soil fertility and DEM data, population density and poverty prone areas processed and analyzed and correlated to food production using ArcGIS 10.1, SPSS and Microsoft office computer programmes. Results showed 58% forestland and 91% grassland reduced and 11% of cropland and 0.6% of settlements increased between 1990 and 2010 respectively. The population increased by average of 20.5% between 1989 and 2009, population density of 830 persons per square kilometers, Nyaura location having an extremely high density of 3135 persons per square kilometers, with 65% of Kegati location in absolute poverty. The soil fertility depletion trend negatively impacted on food production which decreased by 29% and cash crop yields increased by 12.5% respectively. In conclusion Keumbu is food insecure region with agricultural land already degraded and densely populated. In recommendation, the government and other stakeholders should make small scale farmers adapt to good farming practices and land tenure systems.