Effects of Land Use Land Cover Change on Gully Development in Lugari Sub Catchment, Kakamega County in Kenya

Abstract

Worldwide Gully erosion has been considered a severe agricultural and environmental problem. In Kenya, gully erosion is treated as a serious and common socio-economic and environmental problem of different catchments. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the diversity and effect of gully erosion in Lugari sub-catchments in Kakamega County, Kenya. The objective of the study was achieved by analysis of the data from the images and data obtained from the field observation, field measurement, GPS, interviews and household survey. The result of the study indicates that gully erosion was initiated in the mountainous area following the 1990s and 2000s land cover changes and human cause factors. In addition, the steepness of the slopes and the soil characteristics have triggered gully erosion in the study area. Gully erosion affects the physical, economic and social effects on an area. According to the group discussion and interview, the social-economic impacts of the gully were the loss of life of a 65-year-old man death and injuries to livestock and reduced yield. The result from field measurements and field observation indicated that loss of soil (1,519,487) and loss of vegetation are the major physical impacts of gully erosion. In Lugari sub-catchments there are promising rehabilitation conditions and their conditions are, availabilities for the labour force, transport serves presence of civic societies, NEMA and the green economy policy of the county. Thus, the county and National government and local communities need to set, a work plan and use the existing opportunities