Effectiveness of Environmental Policies on Environment Conservation in Samburu County, Kenya

Abstract

Human-wildlife conflict and drought arising from degradation are some of the environmental challenges that have been plaguing Samburu. These challenges have been occurring amid conservation policies facilitated by NEMA to protect the environment in the region besides other parts of Kenya. Whether environmental policies can avert environmental challenges depends on the degree to which they are implemented and the effectiveness thereof. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of environmental management policies implemented by NEMA in Samburu County. This study was conducted using a descriptive research design anchored on a quantitative research approach. Non-probability sampling was used to target 94 participants who included key informants such as NEMA officers, lead experts, area chiefs, and community members. Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires and later analyzed using measures of dispersion, frequency distribution, correlation analysis, and chi-square analysis. The study observed increased awareness about environmental protection in Samburu County mainly from community elders and administrative officers. This study observed that there was a significantly high number of human-animal conflicts in the region, with the average adult experiencing up to ten incidents with wild animals in the year preceding this research. Moreover, flooding affected a majority of the respondents sometimes when there was rain. The study found that households in Samburu County were likely to cut trees for fuel without regard for the effect on the environment. There is a need for a policy that empowers NEMA towards enforcement of environmental affairs in a manner equivalent to the enforcement of other security policies. This study recommends a review of the enforcement of environmental policies beyond EIA activities.