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OVERVIEW OF SOCIOECONOMIC ASPECTS

OF TANA BASIN

D.W. Kilambya*, P.M. Maingi*, F.M. Murithi* and

P.T. Gicheru*

* Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)

11th October 2006

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DISTRICTS WITHIN TANA BASINDISTRICT AREA (Km2)

EMBU 67.3

GARISSA 670.8

ISIOLO 253.0

KIRINYAGA 136.1

KITUI 1717.2

LAIKIPIA 8.9

LAMU 75.7

MACHAKOS 198.3

MALINDI 288.6

MARAGUA 60.0

MBEERE 193.2

MERU CENTRAL 147.7

MERU NORTH 194.6

MERU SOUTH 101.0

MURANGA 85.6

MWINGI 924.4

NYANDARUA 0.6

NYERI 227.7

TANA RIVER 3419.8

THARAKA 144.6

THIKA 15.6

Total 8930.8

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ROADS, TOWNS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF TANA BASIN

4

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS IN TANA BASIN

5

NUMBER OF MALES IN TANA BASIN

6

NUMBER OF FEMALES IN TANA BASIN

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MALE/FEMALE COMPARISON PER DISTRICT

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Embu Garissa Isiolo Kirinyaga Kitui

Male

Female

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Laikipia Lamu Machakos Malindi Maragua

Male

Female

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Mbeere MeruNorth

Murang'a

Male

Female

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

Mwingi Nyeri Tharaka

Male

Female

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DIVISIONAL POPULATION DENSITY

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TANA BASIN POVERTY INDEX BY DISTRICT

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LAND USE OF TANA BASIN

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MAIN CROPS AND LIVESTOCK

UPPER BASIN

DairyMaizeCoffee

TeaBeans

PotatoesShoats

BananasPoultryFruits

VegetablesWheat

Flowers

LOWER BASIN

MaizeBeans

CowpeasMillet

Green gramsCassava

CattleShoatsPoultry

Bee keepingFruits

CoconutCashew nuts

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RESPODENTS MAIN SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER

SOURCE WET SEASON

(%)

DRY SEASON

(%)

Piped water in compound 16.2 17.1

Public outdoor tap/ borehole

13.4 8.0

Protected well 10.4 9.0

Unprotected well/

rain water

18.8 13.4

River/lake/pond 38.7 51.3

Vendor/track 0.3 0.2

Other 2.3 1.0

Total 100 100

Source: Derived from the Second Report on Poverty in Kenya Nov. 2000

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MAIN CONSTRAINTS TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

• Poor marketing of farm produce• Inadequate, expensive and poor quality farm inputs• Lack of market information• High cost of farm labour• Sub-division of land into uneconomic units• Insufficient water for domestic and livestock consumption and

for irrigation• Low and unreliable rainfall• Poor infrastructure – roads etc• Land degradation (soil erosion, overgrazing)

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