Kenya award OTR-0077-O-2153 · 1983 · energy · Institute for Development Anthropology, Inc.

This report summarizes field observations made over the period 1970-1982, in Mbere Division, Embu District, Kenya. In the early years, deforestation was widespread, the main cause being agricultural clearing resulting from a rapidly increasing population. Most current clearing is done in order to plant food crops - maize, millet, sorghum, and various legumes. The main cash-crops are cotton, tobacco, and surplus beans or maize, all of which also require land to be cleared. Cutting trees for charcoal and for fuel to cure tobacco are contributory causes of deforestation, but cutting fuelwood is not a major cause. During the last two or three years, there have been discernible and significant changes: many more people are planting trees, for timber, shade, ornament, fruit - and for fuelwood. This planting is associated with soil conservation, adult literacy, primary and seconday education, and other rural developments. What has happened in Mbere is described and analyzed. The report also contains a comparative study by Alfonso Peter Castro of fuelwood and reforestation in Kirinyaga District, which has a higher population density and a more favorable physical setting. The conclud

Source: DEC abstract, PN-AAR-294 (1983). The source's own text.