Every year has its own challenges and this year Covid-19 has been one of them. However, during 2021 Drylands Transform has started work in four study sites in the borders of Kenya and Uganda and the project has also grown substantially by welcoming new team members and partners.
2021 is coming to an end and we have all been forced to be flexible due to Covid-19 related restrictions. Therefore many of the members in Drylands Transform have not yet been to the areas of the project. But still, and thanks to a strong collaboration, the work is ongoing and the project is already well received and founded in the four project sites in Kenya and Uganda. During 2021 a lot of work has been going on. Just to mention some examples:
With this, we are all looking forward to 2022 and all partnerships and activities that will be continued and initiated.
A waterhole that has dried up in Poron, Uganda. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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A water dam is part of the Livestock café site in Rupa, Uganda. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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Grassland area close to the Rupa site, Uganda. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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Lokiriama in Kenya is the driest of the four sites. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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Sparse vegetation cover in the Lokiriama site. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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Houses and haybarn construction are finalized in the Chepareria site. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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Visible results from the erosion control measures that were dug some months ago. Photo: Gert Nyberg
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The Livestock Café site in Poron, Uganda (formerly referred to as Matany since it changed name) is flat and have dense black cotton soils. There was a partly silted water dam, which could be restored to keep water for longer periods of the year. In November, there was quite good grass cover and a very sparse tree cover.
Rupa in Uganda is mostly flat and drier than Poron, but also relatively good grass cover. It should be noted though that grazing pressure was unusually low due to recent livestock raids in the area. However, the security situation had improved and livestock were expected back any day. The site also included a dam and a structure for livestock spraying.
Lokiriama in Kenya is not very far from Rupa or the national border, but the quality of the roads still makes it a long trip. Lokiriama is clearly the driest of our sites, with very sparse grass vegetation. People regularly migrate to Uganda with their livestock. The Livestock café site is situated along a seasonal river and parts of the area are therefore likely to be flooded for short periods of time.
In Chepareria, Kenya, the site is divided in two parts, one with established houses and hay-barn largely for demo purposes, knowledge sharing and exchange. This site is partly seriously eroded and some work has already been done this year to reduce erosion and to improve grass production. An interesting, but also quite challenging site. The other part of the site is on a slight slope, heavily grazed and with low grass cover during the visit in November.
Drylands Transform is a 4-year research project funded by Formas that started up during the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2020. It includes an interdisciplinary research team representing SLU and seven other universities and international organisations from Sweden, Kenya and Uganda.