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*Corresponding author: Email: lydiaboke5@gmail.com;
Archives of Current Research International
7(2): 1-12, 2017; Article no.ACRI.32256
ISSN: 2454-7077
SCIENCEDOMAIN international
www.sciencedomain.org
Environmental Management Practices amongst
Tobacco Farmers in Migori County, Kenya
Lydia Boke Marwa
1*
, Jacob K. Kibwage
2
and Godfrey W. Netondo
3
1
South Eastern Kenya University, Kenya.
2
The Co-operative University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
3
School of Physical and Biological Sciences, Maseno University, Maseno, Kenya.
Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration with all authors. Author LBM managed the literature
searches, structured the article, designed framework and wrote the first draft of the manuscript.
Authors JKK and GWN grammatically corrected and edited this article. All the authors read and
approved the final manuscript.
Article Information
DOI: 10.9734/ACRI/2017/32256
Editor(s):
(1) Magdalena Valsikova, Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculrure, Nitra, Slovakia.
Reviewers:
(1) Anélia Marais, Institute for Plant Production, South Africa.
(2) Ningappa M. Rolli, BHS Arts & TGP Science College, Jamkhandi, Karnataka, India.
Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/18716
Received 17
th
February 2017
Accepted 16
th
March 2017
Published 21
st
April 2017
ABSTRACT
Aim: To assess environmental management practices carried out by both tobacco farmers and
companies.
Methodology: Purposive sampling was employed for data collection where by tobacco farmers
were randomly selected from the population. Sub-county Forest Officer and two field officers from
Kenya Forest Service were also interviewed.
Results: Use of improved barn is among the environmental management practices that can
reduce deforestation because of its high thermal efficiency. However, only 22% of the respondents
used improved barn while 78% used traditional barn which is non-energy saving barn, therefore
consuming tonnes of wood compared to improved barns. The study showed that 97.7% of the
respondents had not been advised by tobacco companies to use any other method to control pests
except chemical pesticides. Of the respondents, 97.1% believed tobacco companies did not
promote alternative source of energy for curing tobacco other than wood.
Conclusion: Although not much was being done, farmers had adopted a few practices to prevent
soil and forest degradation. Most of the soil management practices and alternative curing
Original Research Article