Abstract:
Agri-silviculture is the simultaneous husbandry of tree and agricultural crops in which
interactions between the two components result in enhanced yields and improved food
provision. In Nakuru Municipality there is inconsistent supply of agri-silvicultural
commodities consumed, a problem that is exacerbated by dilapidated physical infrastructure,
high cost of transportation and distant production points. This has consequently resulted in a
supply-demand imbalance in a setup predominantly inhabited by the urban poor. A study was
therefore conducted to determine the viability of agri- silviculture in peri urban areas of
Nakuru Municipality and its contribution to sustainable food provision and improved
environmental health. A sociological survey research design, using structured questionnaires
was used. Simple random and purposive random sampling procedures were employed in
urban and peri-urban sites, respectively, to select 250 representative households and
interviewees for administration of survey questionnaires. Data collected was subjected to
descriptive statistics using SPSS Programme version l7 and SAS. Timber demand was
calculated using Newton’s fomiulae. Results revealed a 5.5 million tonne gap per year
between agricultural supply and demand, while annual timber requirements stood at 1.2
million metric tonne, with a lot of disparities in supply infrastructure including marketing. lt
revealed a major disconnect between famrers and extension service providers with over 60%
of farmers reporting insufficient technical assistance. The results further indicated that 68%
of urban residents were aware of the existing local authority by-laws but were deliberately
defiant in pursuit of their livelihoods. Seventy (70) percent of peri-urban residents cited land
scarcity as the biggest impediment to adoption of sustainable agri-silvicultural practices.
Although most agri-silvicultural commodities were supplied from distant production areas,
this had no effect on product prices in the Municipal market. The findings of the current
study are expected to form a basis for institutional and legal refonns, including review of
local authority by-laws, complemented by adoption of soil improving agri-silvicultural
systems and consumer focussed initiatives.
