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Reseeding Denuded Pastoral Land in Kenya

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Reseeding Denuded Pastoral Land in Kenya ' REPUBLIC OF KENYA ' · ,,' "''· ~·· ~ v ... ~. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY RESEEDING DENUDED PASTORAL LAND IN KENYA by A. V. BOGDAN AND D. J. PRATT Seven Shillings - 1967 Reçu le ok.b 0' oo !~ HO _ Cote oOo 00 .O OOOO OO OOOO OOOOHO o : x ~ m p l . o oo o oooooooooooooOoo o oo O o o oO o oo OO o Oooo . o o o o No En · rée 1-:: 0 L OO~OO S:: OOOO oob> OH Reseeding Denuded Pastoral Land in Kenya by A. V. BOGDAN AND D. J. PRAIT Denuded Land The Njemps Flats: an alluvial plain on the floor of the Rift Valley near Lake Baringo which bas been denuded for decades, despite an average annual rainfall of 25 in. The result of reseeding this country is shown in Plate 9. (Photo: September 1965 by O. J . Pratt.) FOREWORD The history of reseeding in Kenya lis largely one of individual endeavour on the part of a handful of officers, mosHy of the Depart­ ment of Agriculture, who have abtempted during their service in pastoral districts to rep~ir the denuded grazing area·s under their care. The number of published accounts of this work are few, but in 3lppreciation of i1tS importance as the foundation of present-day knowledge, this bulletin is inscribed to those officers concerned, with particular acknowledgement to J. S. Bagenal, L. H. Brown, G. Cowley, R. N. Edmondson, T. Hughes-Rice, S . .M. Jordan, the late W. Lang­ r·idge and H. J. York. Their experience is supplemented here by data from a series of experimenlis conducted ·by D. J. Pratt and J. Knight in 'Baringo District, and leavened by our independent persona! experi­ ence. The section "Grasses for Reseeding" bas been wriNen mainly by A. V. Bogdan and the remainder mainly 'bY D. J. Pratt, each section Teceiving mutual approval. Wbilst the rneed for more work is ev.iden·t, it is hoped that the result will prove of value to those who have the present responsibility for reb1l'bilitating Kenya's pastoral a reas. A. V. BOGDAN. D. J. PRATT. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 GRASSES FOR R ESEEDING 2 Grass Types 2 Recommended Species 3 Bothriochloa insculpta and B. perfusa; Cenchrus ciliaris 4· Cenchrus pennisetiformis; C. setigerus; Ch/oris gayana; C. mossambicensis . 5 Ch/oris roxburghiana; C. virgata; Chrysopogon aucheri; Cynodon dactylon . 6 Cynodon plectostachyus; Dactyloctenium sp.; Echinochloa haploclada; Enteropogon macrostachyus . 7 Enteropogon somalensis; Eragrostis caespitosa; E. chloro- melas; E. cilianensis; E. sp. nr. curvula . 8 Eragrostis superba; Eriochloa nubica; Eustachys pa spa/aides; Latipes senegalensis 9 Leptochloa obtusiflora; Panicum co!oratum; P. maximum; Paspalidium desertorum; Sporobolus he/valus 10 Sporobolus ?marginatus; Tetrapogon villosus; Themeda triandra; Tricholaena eichingeri 11 Choice of Species 11 Seed Collection 12 RESEEDI NG TECHN IQUE 15 Choice of Site . 16 Preparation of Site 16 Seed-bed Cultivation 17 Time of Cultivation 18 Terracing 19 Seeding . 19 Time of Seeding 19 Methods of Seeding 19 Seeding Rates 19 Supplementary Seed Protection 23 Insecticides . 23 Cut Branches 24 Pelleting of Seed 24 Harrowing . 24 Specialized Techniques for Problem Areas 25 Dense Bushland or Shallow and Rocky Soils 25 Dissected and Rilly Terrain 25 Arid Areas . 26 Species/Treatment Interactions 27 GRAZI NG MANAG EMENT 29 REFERENCES 31 APPENDIX: Catalogue of Proprietary Machinery and Seed Suppliers . 32 RESEEDING DENUDED PASTORAL LAND IN KENYA There are in Kenya extensive areas of overgrazed pastoral land which are in urgent need of rehabilitation. If the original grass cover bas not been completely destroyed, rehabilitation through grazing management may be possible; but if denudation is absolute, or the flora reduced to poor species only, then reseeding must be undertaken. The primary reason for reseeding is to restore productivity; so that the full potential of the area may be realized, to the benefit of the individual, the district and the nation. The reason for taking action sooner rather than later is to con­ serve as much as possible rthe soil t'hat remains, before the potentia·l of the area is permanently impaired. A soil surface that is without a protective mantle soon becomes hard and impervious, and repels ail but a fraction of the rain lthat falls on it. The rest (perhaps 80 per cent or more) is forced to run off, eroding the soil over which it flows and fill.ing the streams with a flood of water and soil. Not only does the denuded area deteriorate progressively but the muddy flood waters constitute a hazard in their own right. lndeed, the protection of dams from silting, or the provision of a controlled flow of clean water to irrigation or other projects, may be important factors in initiating a reseeding programme. The areas of Kenya most in need of reseeding are usually of low rainfall and limited potential. They are also characterized by relatively dense hurnan popula­ tions, which may not yet have adopted a commercial system of land-use. The present bulletin is written against this background, and emphasis throughout is laid on grasses and methods for dry areas, with the assumption that low cost is of paramount importance. No panacea is offered to guarantee success in reseeding. Any 1 eseeding opera­ tion, however carefull y planned, can fail if insuffioient ra·in talls at the righ.t time. Nevertheless, proper appraisal of the situation a nd the correct ohoice of grasses and methods go a long way towards ensuring success. From the many attempts that have been made in Kenya to restore grass cover by means of seeding, on plot- and field-scale, it bas been learned that the funda­ mental requirements of success are:- (1) An appreciation of the ecological potential of the area concerned. (2) Grasses suitable for reseeding purposes and sufficient seed of adequate quality. (3) The integration of the reseeding operation into an overall land-manage­ ment policy, embracing grazing control and bush-control where necessary. (4) Sorne form of seed-bed preparation and a degree of seed protection in keeping wi•th si.te requirements. (5) A period of complete rest from grazing after seeding. (6) Reasonable rains during the establishment seasons. It must be emphasized that failure in any one of these requirements can prove fatal, and every effort must be made to meet them all. Rainfall is beyond control, but species and techniques may nevertheless be so chosen that slightly below­ average rainfall will ensure success. Also, on sorne sites, it will be possible to safeguard against poor rains by using water-harvesting and water-spreading techniques to bring extra water to the site. Whereas these technical aspects are considered ·here in sorne detail, it· bas been decided not to attempt to cover the economie aspects of reseeding. The variables involved are too numerous and inconstant for averages to be meaningful. The cost of operations involving band-labour varies in time and space according to labour charges and output; machinery costs are standardized on an bourly basis but vary enormously on an acre basis; and the cost of the seed depends on whe~ber it is bougbt, grown or collected from wild stands. Also, although the financial return from reseeding can be calculated assuming optimum land-use, reseeding is oiiten undertaken with otber benefits in mind, on land where immedialte commercial exploi<tation is not feasible. Ail that can usefuHy be said is that, under prevailing conditions, reseeding of denuded land will normally increase productivity in the range 300-3,000 per cent, the potential annual gross return averaging Sb. 10 per acre and varying from Sb. 1 in semi­ desert country to Sb. 20 in the better ranching areas. It must be emphasized that this is a bulletin tailored to the present needs of the drier areas of Kenya. On land with an average annual rainfall greater than 30 in., more normal agricultural methods and commercial grasses and legumes can be used; as will also be applicable to sorne extent in the drier areas, as their economie output increases. Under these conditions, also, tbere may be scope for the use of fertilizers. At present, the use of fertilizers in reseeding is warranted only if it is essential to grass establishment: wherever it is low rainfall which is the main factor controlling grass establishment, it is best to defer any use of fertilizers until after a grass cover bas been successfully established. GRASSES FOR RESEEDING This sect-ion is confined to grass species because no useful legumes have so far been found which can be grown easily under dry conditions. However, Kenya is fortunate in having a particularly large grass flora which includes many valuable species. The total number of recorded grass species in 1958 was 461 (Bogdan, 1958), but, as severa! new records have been reported since, the actua1 number can be estimated at about 500. With this wealth of material available, local grasses should always be used for reseeding in preference to introduced, exotic species. Although severa! grasses used for reseeding in the United States and elsewhere have been tried on a small scale in Kenya (e.g. Eragrostis trichodes, E. bicolor, Oryzopsis miliacea and Panicum plenum) nearly ail have been found to be inferior to local species. Only Eragrostis chloromelas, from South Africa, bas been used locally with any success. GRASS TYPES Grasses may lbe divided according to tbeir life-span (i.e. whetber they are annuals or perennials) and according to their habit of growth. Botb alttr·ibutes affect the suitability of grasses for reseed·ing. Whilst annual grasses last only one year or one wet-season and die when seed is formed, perennials bave the ability to survive dry seasons and regenemte with each rains rto produce f.resh growth from .the original mot stock.
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