In Nakuru town (northwest of Nairobi, Kenya), two out of five households were living in conditions of absolute poverty in 1997. Farming in town is one of the ways people employ to cope with this... Show moreIn Nakuru town (northwest of Nairobi, Kenya), two out of five households were living in conditions of absolute poverty in 1997. Farming in town is one of the ways people employ to cope with this problem. Based on a survey held in 1999 among almost 600 households, it is estimated that about 30 percent of the Nakuru population is engaged in crop cultivation in town. Following a general discussion of crop cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa and more particularly Kenya, this paper answers the following questions: what crops are cultivated in Nakuru town and on what types of plots? Who cultivates? What types of inputs are used and on which plots? Do different people use different inputs? What yields are being realized? Do harvests vary with types of plots, with household characteristics and with types of inputs? Why do people cultivate crops? What problems do they face? Who benefits and in what ways? How can crop cultivation in town be improved? What role does the municipality play? [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
In 1996 the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) embarked on a "Parks beyond Parks" programme, which aimed to bring some of the benefits of wildlife tourism to the local population. Under this programme,... Show moreIn 1996 the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) embarked on a "Parks beyond Parks" programme, which aimed to bring some of the benefits of wildlife tourism to the local population. Under this programme, local people were allowed to start tented camps and other tourist activities in areas bordering national parks. The present paper discusses the development of a new ecotourism initiative in the Selengei region, bordering Amboseli National Park, in Kajiado District. An overview of the history of wildlife conservation and tourism in Southern Kajiado District is followed by a detailed description of the Eselenkei Conservation Area initiative. The conclusion is that, although KWS presents the development of wildlife sanctuaries as a new form of "partnership" with the local Maasai population, the case of Selengei shows that in order to be truly community-based, certain conditions should be met. The benefits to be gained by the Selengei Maasai were still uncertain in 2000. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
This report discusses some of the findings of exploratory research among Ghanaian and Malawian migrants in Gaborone, Botswana, which was carried out in March and November 2001. Over the last two... Show moreThis report discusses some of the findings of exploratory research among Ghanaian and Malawian migrants in Gaborone, Botswana, which was carried out in March and November 2001. Over the last two decades, Botswana has been the focus of immigration from Ghana and Malawi. In recent years, this African immigration has been followed, as elsewhere, by the introduction of a charismatic and popular form of Christianity known as Pentecostalism. The position of Ghanaians and Malawians has been debated in the public media in the context of wider discussions on foreigners in Tswana society. Lately, these debates have hardened in tone, and the Botswana government is increasingly taking measures against the privileges these immigrants may have enjoyed. The report looks in particular at the ideological, i.e. religious dimensions of the Ghanaian and Malawian predicament in this tense context with the aim of formulating further research questions. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
