Optimizing Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration Efforts Using Geospatial Technology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ijes.3165Keywords:
FMNR, Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems, Decision MakingAbstract
Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), holds immense potential for addressing land degradation and enhancing ecosystem services in the arid and semi-arid lands. However, decisions regarding where to prioritize FMNR efforts and effectively monitor adoption and impact require reliable data and objective analysis. Spatial technologies (ST) such as Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and GPS play a crucial role in achieving these goals. This paper explores the application of ST in optimizing FMNR implementation in Kenya. It discusses how ST can be used to identify suitable areas for FMNR based on factors like land degradation severity, vegetation cover, and socio-economic characteristics. Additionally, the paper explores how ST can be utilized to monitor FMNR adoption by tracking changes in land cover over time and assess the impacts of FMNR on ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. Finally, the paper highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with using ST for FMNR and proposes recommendations for its effective integration into FMNR programs.
Downloads
References
Bayala, J., et al. (2012). Cereal yield response to conservation agriculture practices in drylands of West Africa: a quantitative synthesis. Journal of Arid Environments, 78: 13-25.
Bayala, J., Sanou, J., Bazié, H. R., Coe, R., Kalinganire, A., and Sinclair, F. L. (2019). Regenerated trees in farmers’ fields increase soil carbon across the Sahel. Agroforest. Syst. 94, 401–415. DOI: 10.1007/s10457-019-00403-6
Binam, J. N., Place, F., Djalal, A. A., and Kalinganire, A. (2017). Effects of local institutions on the adoption of agroforestry innovations: evidence of farmer managed natural regeneration and its implications for rural livelihoods in the Sahel. Agric. Food Econ. 5:2. doi: 10.1186/s40100-017-0072-2
Garrity, D.P., & Verchot, L.V. (2008). Rehabilitating Degraded Production Landscapes. Science, 321: 1211.
Garrity, D.P., et al. (2010). Evergreen Agriculture: a robust approach to sustainable food security in Africa. Food Security, 2: 197-214.
Iiyama, M., Derero, A., Kelemu, K., Muthuri, C., Kinuthia, R., Ayenkulu, E., et al. (2017). Understanding patterns of tree adoption on farms in semi-arid and sub-humid Ethiopia. Agroforest. Syst. 91, 271–293. doi: 10.1007/s10457-016-9926-y
Lal, R. (2015). Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation. Sustainability, 7: 5875-5895.
Lohbeck, M., Winowiecki, L., Aynekulu, E., Okia, C., and Vågen, T. G. (2018). Trait-based approaches for guiding the restoration of degraded agricultural landscapes in East Africa. J. Appl. Ecol. 55, 59–68. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13017
Mbow, C., et al. (2014). Achieving mitigation and adaptation to climate change through sustainable agroforestry practices in Africa. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 6: 8-14.
Reij, C., Tappan, G., & Smale, M. (2009). Agroenvironmental Transformation in the Sahel: Another Kind of Green Revolution. IFPRI Discussion Paper.
Smith, P., et al. (2014). Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU). In Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Charles Kigen, Janet Korir, Michael Aiyabei Chesire, Carol Munini Munyao, Prisca Tanui Too
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
