COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION AS A MEANS OF ALLEVIATING POVERTY: A STUDY OF BONJOGE NATIONAL RESERVE AND ITS ENVIRONS, KENYA.

Abstract

Local communities have co-existed with and utilized natural resources within their environment and hence the need to involve them in the conservation of these resources cannot be overemphasized. Bonjoge National Reserve (BNR) has diverse wildlife some of which escape to neighbouring farmlands destroying property. This has accelerated outright hostility and resentment among local residents, human-wildlife conflicts, and poverty due to wildlife destructions. This study assessed how the local community has been involved in the conservation of BNR and its resources as means of alleviating poverty, determined local residents’ attitudes and perceptions towards BNR and its wildlife resources, determined the benefits accruing to the community from the reserve, and established the challenges faced in involving the local community in conserving the reserve and its resources and how these challenges are being mitigated. The study utilized an exploratory and descriptive research designs. The study targeted all residents living 1 km from the reserve boundary. Data was collected from 250 randomly selected residents living within 1 km from the reserve boundary using questionnaires and focus group discussions and interviews. To facilitate selection of respondents, the study area was divided into three strata in relation to their location to the reserve namely the Kaptumek on the Eastern, Pemja on the Western, and Kipsartuk on the Northern side guided by existing administrative boundaries. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine frequencies and percentages and the t test. Results showed that most of the local community (64%) had not been involved in conservation yet community involvement has been shown to have capacity to alleviate poverty since the uninvolved had a greater percentage of multi-dimensionally poor individuals. The weighted score (poverty index) between those involved and not involved in conservation of natural resources in the study area was statistically significant (t=2.129, df= 248, P=0.03). Results further showed that 24% of the respondents had established income-generating activities (24%), minimized human-wildlife conflict (14%) and promoted the sense of ownership (17%).Community involvement has been challenged by high human-wildlife conflict and an alarmingly low illiteracy level. The latter is being mitigated by promoting education and security among others. The study concludes that local community is a vital stakeholder for a sustainable conservation and recommends further investigation to the effect of community involvement in natural resource conservation at country level context.