The Geographical Journal, Vol. 173, No. 3, September 2007, pp. 257–272 Geographical Journal Vol. 173 No. 3, pp. 257–272, 2007 0016-7398/07/0002-0001/$00.20/0 © 2007 The Author(s). Journal compilation © 2007 The Royal Geographical Society Blackwell Publishing Ltd Integration of smallholder wetland aquaculture– agriculture systems (fingerponds) into riparian farming systems on the shores of Lake Victoria, Kenya: socio-economics and livelihoods J KIPKEMBOI*, A A VAN DAM†, M M IKIARA‡ AND P DENNY† *Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, PO Box 536, Njoro, Kenya E-mail: j_kkipkemboi@yahoo.co.uk †UNESCO-IHE, Department of Environmental Resources, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands ‡The Kenya Institute of Public Policy, Research and Analysis, PO Box 56445, Nairobi, Kenya This paper was accepted for publication in April 2007 This paper presents the results of experimental fingerponds: an integrated flood recession aquaculture–agriculture production system in the Lake Victoria wetlands in Kenya. The overall aim of the study is to assess the potential of fingerponds as a sustainable wetland farming system for improving food security at the subsistence level and within the context of the existing livelihood activities. The contribution of this new activity to rural household livelihoods is evaluated. Since it is a sustainable technology, based on natural events, the production level is intermediate and the benefits may not be high in the short term. Economic analysis shows that the gross margin and net income of fingerponds is about 752 and 197 Euros per hectare per year, respectively. This is about an 11% increase in the annual gross margin of an average rural household around Lake Victoria. The additional per capita fish supply is 3 kg per season or more from a 192 m 2 pond. The potential fish protein supply of 200 kg/ha is high compared with most existing terrestrial protein production systems. Fingerponds have the potential to contribute to household food security and to improve livelihoods. Sensitivity analysis indicates that biophysical variations, which may occur from one wetland to another, have implications for the functioning, and consequently the economic performance, of fingerponds. This reinforces the need for the integration of these systems into other household activities to buffer the household against potential risk. KEY WORDS: Kenya, wetlands, integrated aquaculture production, socio-economic analysis, livelihoods, food security, fingerponds Introduction T he majority of the rural populations around Lake Victoria depend directly on the immediate environment for their livelihoods. Over recent years, the degradation of both natural and agro- ecosystems and climatic uncertainty have led to the increased vulnerability of rural populations to food insecurity, engulfing them in a vicious circle of poverty and environmental degradation. According to Barbier (2000), the link between rural poverty and environ- ment in Africa has its roots in land degradation. Gray and Moseley (2005) argue that wealth and the pursuit of economic development are to blame for large-scale environmental degradation. With increasing populations in many developing countries, and the resultant pressure on ecosystems, the probability of rural communities falling into a ‘Malthusian’ poverty trap is increasing. The challenge is to effectively manage the natural ecosystems to meet growing human needs in a sustainable way. The Lake Victoria basin is endowed with diverse natural resources. Fishery, livestock husbandry, rain-fed agriculture and wetland biomass harvesting