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In Kenya, the mango (Mangifera indica L) cultivar 'Apple' is commercially important but it often suffers excessive russeting, which both compromises its appearance and impairs its postharvest performance. Together, these effects seriously reduce its market potential. Exposure to surface moisture is implicated in russeting of cv. 'Apple' mango. The objective was to establish the effect of bagging on russeting. Developing fruit were bagged at the onset of the exponential growth phase, using brown paper bags (Blue star®). Un-bagged fruit served as controls. The brown paper bags were selected because of their high permeance to water vapor. At harvest maturity, bagged fruit were larger, less russeted and had smaller lenticels than un-bagged control fruit. Staining with aqueous acridine orange in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy revealed numerous microcracks and larger lenticels on un-bagged control fruit but these were not evident on bagged fruit. Postharvest mass loss (principally water loss) of bagged fruit was lower than of un-bagged control fruit. In the un-bagged control fruit, the skin's water permeance increased as the russeted surface area increased (r2 = 0.88 **). Fruit skins were less permeable to water vapor than the brown paper bags. The brown paper bags contributed not more than 4.2 to 9.1% of the total in-series diffusion resistance of skin + bag. The masses of isolated cuticular membranes, and of dewaxed cuticular membranes, and of wax per unit surface area were higher for un-bagged control fruit than for bagged fruit. Bagged fruit were also greener and showed less blush. There was little difference in skin carotenoid content between bagged and un-bagged control fruit, but skin anthocyanin content was lower in bagged fruit. The rates of respiration and ethylene evolution of bagged fruit were lower than those of un-bagged control fruit. There were no differences between bagged and un-bagged control fruit in their organoleptic and nutritional properties including titratable acidity, total soluble sugars, sucrose, glucose, fructose, vitamin C and calcium content. In conclusion, bagging decreased russeting and increased postharvest performance of fruit of mango cv. 'Apple'. • Bagging increased fruit size and decreased cuticle thickness. • Bagging did not change background color, soluble solids or total acidity. • Bagging decreased anthocyanin content and blush area of the fruit surface. • Bagging reduced cuticular microcracking, russeting and postharvest water loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper analyzes long-term impacts of electoral violence on health and education. • Areas exposed to violence in Kenya suffer inflation and fall in annual consumption. • Children and adolescents exposed to violence have stunted height as adults. • The sons of those exposed to violence during growing age also have stunted growth. • No long-term impact on education is found as violence peaks during school holidays. This paper examines whether prenatal, childhood, and teenage exposure to electoral violence has any long-term effects on height and human capital in Kenya. First, using the difference-in-difference estimator, we show that areas impacted by electoral violence see increases in local food prices and a decrease in annual nightlight, suggesting important local consumption shocks. We then identify people exposed to such violence using a nationally representative survey and take advantage of the temporal and spatial variation of electoral violence in Kenya between 1992 and 2013. Using coarsened exact matching, we find that exposure to electoral violence between prenatal and the age of sixteen reduces adult height. Previous research has demonstrated that protracted, large-scale armed conflicts can cause significant nutritional shocks and pass down stunting effects to descendants. In line with these studies, we find that the low-scale but recurrent electoral violence in Kenya has impacted the height-for-age of children whose parents were exposed to such violence while they were growing up. Only boys exhibit this intergenerational effect, possibly due to their increased susceptibility to malnutrition and stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa. The fact that most electoral violence in Kenya occurs over the school holidays may help explain why, in contrast to previous studies on large-scale conflicts, childhood exposure to electoral violence has no lasting impact on educational attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households in urban informal settlements of Kisumu City use multiple fuels for their cooking and heating. Despite this reality, previous national inventories of fuel choices in these settlements were based on the most preferred fuel rather than the whole fuel composite used by the households. This paper, therefore, examines the fuel combinations that households in informal settlements of Kisumu City use and how their socio-economic characteristics influence their choice of these combinations. The paper is premised on the energy stacking theory. The study sampled 419 households from informal settlements of Kisumu City. Multinomial logistic regression is used to establish correlation between household characteristics and fuel combination choices. The findings show that majority of households in urban informal settlements of Kisumu City use multiple fuels for cooking, with charcoal and liquefied petroleum gas being the most commonly stacked fuels. Education does not have a strong correlation with fuel choices; whereas household size reliably predicts the choice of individual fuels. Household income significantly predicts the adoption of fuel stacks that have liquefied petroleum gas and charcoal. While increase in household income has a positive correlation with adoption of modern fuels, it does not lead to households dropping primitive and transitional fuels from their stacks. The study asserts that the energy stacking theory is a suitable basis for assessing the relationship between household-based socioeconomic determinants and fuel combination choices among residents of SSA cities. The reality of fuel stacking in urban informal settlements requires policies geared towards increasing access to modern household fuel technologies while incentivizing adoption of fuel-efficient biomass stoves. • Inventory of household fuels should include the whole spectrum of cooking fuels. • Multiple cooking fuel use is common in informal settlements of Sub-Saharan Africa. • Income has a significant correlation with all the fuel-stacking choices studied. • Household income is not always negatively correlated with use of traditional fuels. • Energy stacking theory is suitable in assessing fuel choices in Sub-Saharan Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technologies promise to transform agri-food systems such that they contribute to a more inclusive, economically, and/or environmentally sustainable future. However, without careful attention to the approaches for their introduction, development, and rollout, they are likely to fail to address key aspects of inclusion. Contemporary inclusive innovation mechanisms focus on the involvement of farmers in the innovation processes, but do not elucidate how to operationalize a deeper inclusivity that takes account of the nature of engagement with the farmers and dynamics of the relationships required for successful outcomes. This article analyzes the concept of inclusivity and its operationalization using the case of the Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KALRO). We develop lines of inquiry on how inclusivity can be defined, sought and operationalized in digital agri-food systems. Based on a case study approach, we interviewed 36 stakeholders in the KALRO digital transformation initiative reflecting on literature discussions from secondary data. Primary and secondary data were synthesized to develop lines of inquiry that enabled a deeper exploration of inclusivity. KALRO's rollout and scale-up of digital agriculture technologies for farmers hinges on three evaluative criteria – usability, accessibility, and relevance – which are associated with aspirations for inclusive innovation. Despite these efforts, some technologies they developed included some farmers and excluded others. For the included, inclusion was limited to the accessibility of certain types of information while desired forms of information lacked sufficient mechanisms for access or were not made available. The practice of promoting access, usability and relevance of the technologies while has supported innovation for and with the farmers, there are still challenges in innovating with the farmer. The lines of inquiry "inclusive innovation with" and "inclusive innovation for" introduced in this paper not only help stakeholders gain a deeper, more nuanced and holistic understanding of inclusive innovation, they also reveal the complexity of inclusivity and its operationalization in agri-food systems that are digitalizing. This paper analyzes inclusivity from a practice perspective highlighting areas where the theoretical perspective and empirical observations diverge. The paper makes the case for meaningful changes in how inclusivity is approached, considering the practical needs and preferences of those directly impacted by innovation and the potential of operationalizing 'inclusive innovation with ' as a deeper and more effective approach to inclusive innovation. [Display omitted] • Operationalizing deeper inclusivity in digital technologies can transform agri-food systems. • Using a case study, we develop lines of inquiry for understanding how inclusivity can be understood and sought. • The study reveals the complexity of inclusivity and its operationalization. • Pursuing an approach that focusses on 'innovation for' the farmer has limitations in enhancing inclusivity. • The study identifies benefits of distinguishing and pursuing 'inclusive innovation with' beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HIV+ individuals are an important subpopulation in areas at risk of an Ebola outbreak. • The Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo Ebola vaccine regimen induced antibodies that persisted 4·5 years. • Ad26.ZEBOV booster dose is safe and highly immunogenic in previously immunized HIV+ adults. • Ad26.ZEBOV boosters can be deployed safely to HIV+ adults with well-controlled infection. People living with HIV constitute an important part of the population in regions at risk of Ebola virus disease outbreaks. The two-dose Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo Ebola vaccine regimen induces strong immune responses in HIV-positive (HIV+) adults but the durability of this response is unknown. It is also unclear whether this regimen can establish immune memory to enable an anamnestic response upon re-exposure to antigen. This paper describes an open-label, phase 2 trial, conducted in Kenya and Uganda, of Ad26.ZEBOV booster vaccination in HIV+ participants who had previously received the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo primary regimen. HIV+ adults with well-controlled infection and on highly active antiretroviral therapy were enrolled, vaccinated with booster, and followed for 28 days. The primary objectives were to assess Ad26.ZEBOV booster safety and antibody responses against the Ebola virus glycoprotein using the Filovirus Animal Non-Clinical Group ELISA. The Ad26.ZEBOV booster was well-tolerated in HIV+ adults with mostly mild to moderate symptoms. No major safety concerns or serious adverse events were reported. Four and a half years after the primary regimen, 24/26 (92 %) participants were still classified as responders, with a pre-booster antibody geometric mean concentration (GMC) of 726 ELISA units (EU)/mL (95 %CI 447–1179). Seven days after the booster, the GMC increased 54-fold to 38,965 EU/mL (95 %CI 23532–64522). Twenty-one days after the booster, the GMC increased 176-fold to 127,959 EU/mL (95 %CI 93872–174422). The responder rate at both post-booster time points was 100 %. The Ad26.ZEBOV booster is safe and highly immunogenic in HIV+ adults with well-controlled infection. The Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo regimen can generate long-term immune memory persisting for at least 4·5 years, resulting in a robust anamnestic response. Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202102747294430). Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05064956). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya's new energy legislation provides a framework for participatory national energy planning. This planning process is intended to formulate a vision for the energy sector, and identify and prioritize energy programmes, projects and/or facilities that contribute to realizing the vision. This paper describes an initiative to structure and operationalize the participation of private sector, civil society, and development organizations in this new energy planning process. The initiative leverages knowledge from the field of sustainable transitions research; the transition management approach is applied to establish a transition arena where non-state actors in the energy sector deliberate and develop visions, pathways, and interventions to be presented for consideration during the preparation of the integrated national energy plan. A structure to institutionalize and operationalize the participation of private sector, civil society and development organizations in Kenya's national energy planning process is developed, as well as a standardized approach to develop non-state actor inputs for the preparation and cyclical review of Kenya's national energy plan. The focus of this paper is the inputs developed by non-state actors for Kenya's integrated national energy plan under the electricity access thematic area. • Knowledge, information & expertise amongst non-state actors to inform energy planning. • Need to structure and institutionalize participation of non-state actors in energy planning • Transition management approach facilitates participatory national energy planning. • Transition agenda developed for electricity access in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock production is affected by climate change, but also contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions. This leads to ambiguity in how livestock are framed in climate and development policy processes. We use the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) to investigate the role of knowledge brokers in Kenyan livestock and climate change policy processes. We analyse how knowledge brokers deal with ambiguity from different problem and response framings within science-policy interfaces using the case of a project that seeks to inform Kenyan policies relevant to livestock and climate change. We identify ambiguity within the problem stream where actors recognise adaptation and mitigation as dual challenges of livestock and climate change. This ambiguity creates tension between actors but can be strategically deployed to help match the problem and policy streams. Actors use the terms 'climate smart' and 'co-benefits' to link the dual adaptation and mitigation needs. In the political stream, nationally defined priorities and external funding possibilities influence the political will and motivation to adopt identified response options. There are opportunities for knowledge brokers to address the ambiguities and translate knowledge during windows of opportunity when the streams are being coupled, but challenges exist, resulting in slow and inadequate development of policies. This paper makes two contributions to the MSF literature. First, we further refine the concept of knowledge brokers and establish their role across all three streams. Second, we apply the MSF in a lower income country and demonstrate that international organizations must be among the actors considered. • Ambiguity surrounds livestock; they are affected by and contribute to climate change. • Knowledge brokers in Kenya frame issues, offer solutions and influence politics. • International actors shape problem framing and solutions around livestock in Kenya. • The MSF needs to be adapted to apply in developing country contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of entrepreneurial innovation strategies in environmental analysis and its impact on the performance of rural SMEs in developing countries, particularly in Kenya. The paper argues that improvements in rural SMEs through sustainable environmental analysis strategies can boost the performance of small firms in rural areas. A sample of 272 rural enterprises in Kenya was used as a framework. Partial least squares regression and correlation models are used for content analysis. The results show a nonsignificant influence of environmental instability on the performance of small firms in rural areas. However, by incorporating entrepreneurial invention strategies into environmental scanning, the results indicate a positive impact on the performance of rural SMEs. Entrepreneurs need to be aware of the importance of environmental innovation strategies to cope with disturbances and dynamism of the environment underpinning the performance of rural SMEs. The study suggests that policymakers need to create a conducive business environment through entrepreneurship training and business incubation programs for rural SMEs. The results provide information on the environmental analysis strategy and innovation management theory in defining the future of small business reengineering in rural areas. • Rapid environmental changes has a great impact on performance of rural SMEs. • Environmental analysis help entrepreneurs to develop appropriate strategies for rural SMEs. • SWOT analysis is essential for the growth and development of the firm. • Technology innovation is necessary for effective environmental analyses. • Entrepreneur innovative strategy determines rural SMEs' survival under dynamic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality is critical to achieving transformative action, policies and change towards sustainable ocean management. However, historically women have been largely excluded from ocean science and management programmes, including education. Recent commitment to promoting gender equality in ocean science, notably in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, aims to ensure women have equal opportunity to engage in ocean science education, research, management and decision-making. This paper investigates the roles of women in ocean science education, the challenges they face, the root causes of these inequalities, and the existing interventions to advance gender equality in ocean science. Focusing on Kenya as a case study, the paper uses a feminist political ecology lens to explore staff experiences and perceptions of gender (in)equality in public universities. The data gathered through in-depth interviews revealed that women's participation in ocean science were limited by perceptions of their male colleagues who did not believe that women can do certain technical jobs. In addition, career progression of women was found to be slower than men's, women were more likely to be discriminated against during promotions and denied opportunities to develop their careers, faced sexual harassment and bullying, and experienced work-family conflicts. These factors adversely impacted women's participation and career advancement and thus their potential contribution to a sustainable ocean. This research also revealed some good practices that the universities had in place to tackle gender inequalities such as gender equality policies and staff given a specific gender equality role (gender focal points). In conclusion, we stress the importance of having gender-transformative policies, an effective implementation process, having women-specific support structures and having women in leadership positions as crucial for promoting gender equality and ocean sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaling up clean cooking is a priority to address the substantial health burden from exposure to household air pollution resulting from burning of polluting fuels. The costs of cooking equipment and fuel, as well as cooking behaviors, may present barriers to adoption and sustained use of clean cooking. This paper reports novel qualitative findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) evaluating the effects of innovative energy-efficient cooking pots on sustained use of LPG for the first time in a low and middle-income setting. Semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were conducted with 22 of 200 cooks (LPG primary users) from an informal settlement in Nairobi, participating in the RCT. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. Reported benefits of the enhanced pots (compared to standard pots), included perceived fuel and time savings and prestige. Findings also indicate participants' willingness to pay for the pots and ways to support their scale. This study highlights the potential for energy-efficient pots in facilitating sustained/exclusive clean cooking with LPG and their ability to meet all cooking needs. This is relevant to informing commercial scalability of energy-efficient cookware in the local Kenyan market. • Adoption of clean cooking fuels such as LPG is a priority for sustainable development. • Cooking speed and heat retention were valued aspects of the tested innovative cookware • Innovative cookware can support greater uptake of LPG among low-income households. • Affordability is key for innovative cookware to be promoted in the Kenyan market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even with enhanced secondary education in Africa, a large number of secondary school graduates lack decent work opportunities and end up pursuing tertiary education. However, Africa struggles to provide tertiary education to meet the increasing demand. This study focuses on graduates from a day secondary school in a rural area in western Kenya. Students from vulnerable backgrounds, even with high academic achievements, are forced to join government-appointed universities, even if they are unpopular and low in quality. In contrast, students from privileged backgrounds access popular universities even if their achievements are not comparable with government-sponsored students. • This study focuses on graduates from a day secondary school in a rural area in western Kenya. • Kenya has registered one of the fastest growths in terms of educational opportunities. • This paper qualitatively reveals how difficult it is for poor students to progress to tertiary education. • For poor students, money, instead of academic achievement, can be a qualification to access to better education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal energy has emerged as a transformative renewable resource in Kenya's energy landscape, offering immense potential for sustainable power generation in the current century. This review paper aims at identifying challenges experienced in geothermal energy in Kenya with environmental and health impacts from the output through a review study. The study used a descriptive systematic approach with consideration of existing relevant journals, Energy Act and policies and other grey reports from international bodies. A total of 132 peer reviewed journal articles were considered in the study depending on the themes considered. Currently, the extraction of geothermal energy is at 889 MW from the potential 10,000 MW from 14 potential sites. The findings from the study show that environmental challenges can be experienced in site preparation, plant construction, during the operation and during the decommissioning. During the process, environmental impacts such as surface disturbance, solid and liquid waste, seismic activities, impact on air quality, air pollution, forest and biodiversity and chemical pollution from waste and surface disruption have been experienced. During the drilling process, the exposure of geothermal fluids leads to fouling of heavy metals and gases potential of health challenges such as eye irritation, respiratory, neurological effects when safe thresholds are exceeded. The findings show that despite the increase in exploration, the health effects remain within the standards set by the WHO. The environmental effects are not widespread, indicating that geothermal energy's impact is manageable and within containable limits. • Geothermal extraction causes environmental issues like waste, pollution, and seismic activities. • Kenya's geothermal potential is 10,000 MW, with current extraction at 889 MW. • Geothermal drilling consumes 2000 l of water per minute, raising contamination concerns. • Geothermal fluids cause microbial-induced corrosion, requiring effective microbial management. • Impact assessments for geothermal projects lack thorough health and long-term community evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a broad literature on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SDG7), the positive impact of electrification on development and on electrification strategies, there is little literature on the topic of devolved electrification governance. The paper addresses this issue by analyzing opportunities and challenges of a devolved electrification governance with Kenya as a case study. Conceptually, we base our exploration on an analytical framework adapted from work on multi-level natural-resource governance, which not only includes actors and policies, but also their interactions and power relations, and the analysis of devolution outcomes in the light of (good) governance principles. Methodologically we rely on an extensive literature review and on 24 expert interviews in Kenya. Kenya is chosen as a case study because Kenya has, after its new Constitution came into force in 2010, implemented an ambitious devolution process and is one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that has devolved important energy functions. However, our results show that devolved electrification governance in Kenya is (still) fragmented and complex, partly due to the late enactment of the Energy Act (2019). Electrification is still mainly planned and implemented by actors on the national level, although decentralized structures and technologies have become more important in recent electrification policies. We found more challenges than opportunities in Kenya's devolved electrification governance. The biggest challenge is a lack of capability in the county governments; other challenges relate to legitimacy and overlapping responsibilities, transparency and information-sharing, accountability of national actors, as well as a lack of inclusiveness and participation of local communities. Despite existing challenges, our interviewees perceive devolution as dynamic and an opportunity for electrification and universal electricity access in the long run. Overall, the article shows that while devolution provides opportunities for electrification and associated development impacts, a devolved electrification governance is challenging and requires not only transparency and information-sharing, but also support for capacity building at decentralized levels. • Kenya has ambitious legislation regarding devolution in electrification governance. • However, the implementation is delayed or even impaired. • (Good) governance is a success factor for decentralized electrification governance. • Devolution-electrification interdependencies require more case studies and research. • Properly implemented, devolved electrification governance can help to reach universal access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is the leading global risk factor for mortality. Delay in seeking hypertension care is associated with increased mortality.Objectives: This study investigated whether community health workers, equipped with behavioral communication strategies and smartphone technology, can increase linkage of individuals with elevated BP to a hypertension care program in western Kenya and significantly reduce BP.Methods: The study was a cluster randomized trial with 3 arms: 1) usual care (standard training); 2) "paper-based" (tailored behavioral communication, using paper-based tools); and 3) "smartphone" (tailored behavioral communication, using smartphone technology). The co-primary outcomes were: 1) linkage to care; and 2) change in systolic BP (SBP). A covariate-adjusted mixed-effects model was used, adjusting for differential time to follow-up. Bootstrap and multiple imputation were used to handle missing data.Results: A total of 1,460 individuals (58% women) were enrolled (491 usual care, 500 paper-based, 469 smartphone). Average baseline SBP was 159.4 mm Hg. Follow-up measures of linkage were available for 1,128 (77%) and BP for 1,106 (76%). Linkage to care was 49% overall, with significantly greater linkage in the usual care and smartphone arms of the trial. Average overall follow-up SBP was 149.9 mm Hg. Participants in the smartphone arm experienced a modestly greater reduction in SBP versus usual care (-13.1 mm Hg vs. -9.7 mm Hg), but this difference was not statistically significant. Mediation analysis revealed that linkage to care contributed to SBP change.Conclusions: A strategy combining tailored behavioral communication and mobile health (mHealth) for community health workers led to improved linkage to care, but not statistically significant improvement in SBP reduction. Further innovations to improve hypertension control are needed. (Optimizing Linkage and Retention to Hypertension Care in Rural Kenya [LARK]; NCT01844596). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We compare three urban informal settlements in South Africa, Kenya and Uganda using an urban societal metabolism approach. • We argue that different informal settlements raise different challenges of understanding and of governance. • Gender is important to understand urban poverty and informality: in all case studies, slums are inhabited mainly by women. • Energy policies for informal urban settlements impact both energy access and energy related health problems. • The focus on differences produces modest and localized policy recommendations that consider complexity. Urban development in Africa is a very diverse and ambivalent phenomenon with aspects that do not fall neatly into global standards. Informal settlements therefore challenge governance by standards. We argue that quantifying and interrogating differences offers a better basis for governance. By drawing on a comparative analysis of three different informal settlements in Sub-Saharan Africa, this paper explores what differences reveal about the governance of informal settlements. The paper uses an urban societal metabolism approach, focussed on gender, energy and health, based on questionnaires and focus group discussions in Enkanini (Stellenbosch, South Africa), Mathare (Nairobi, Kenya), and Kasubi-Kawaala (Kampala, Uganda). The contribution of the paper is both empirical and theoretical. Empirically, we provide new evidence about the metabolism of urban informality at multiple levels of analysis: the individual, the household and the settlement. Findings show the gender asymmetries in urban poverty and the intricate links between energy choices, health and economic status. Theoretically, we argue that different levels of analysis produce different understandings of urban informality, and that analyzing informal settlements only by population aggregates means missing information. We conclude by arguing that understanding differences leads to the formulation of modest and localised goals, which are better able to take into account the complexity of urban informality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Soil fertility is vital for agricultural productivity, yet poor soils and erosion remain a management challenge in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. One challenge is that soil scientists and farmers often evaluate soil fertility using different knowledge systems and the implications have not been clearly reconciled within the literature. In particular, whether farmers are observing similar aspects of structure and function as classified in soil science. If so, what can we learn about how soil fertility is evaluated and communicated in terms of developing a hybrid approach that improves communication of ideas between different stakeholders. This paper addresses this challenge by examining the similarities and differences between farmers' qualitative evaluation and soil science quantitative analysis for soil fertility classification, and how location of soils influence farmers' evaluation of soil fertility. Empirical fieldwork was carried out in two villages in Kitui County, Kenya with 60 farmers using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion. Based on farmer perception, 116 soil samples of the best and worst soil fertility taken and analysed for physiochemical factors. Farmers had a consistent classification system and primarily relied on texture and colour as indicators for good soil fertility and texture alone for poor soils. Soils with fine texture under the local semi-arid climate were associated with higher pH, TOC and WHC and fertile black and red soils were associated with pH, TOC, WHC and AP based on differences in bed rock. Poor soil fertility was associated with sandy soils and soils with no colour in their local name. Spatial location is an important consideration in farmers' evaluations, reflecting awareness of local diversity in soil and historical social or environmental factors. Local historical narratives reveal the importance in changes to humus, consistent with technical knowledge about the role of soil organic matter for soil fertility. The paper provides a better understanding of farmers' soil classification, evaluation processes and perspectives that help to inform scientists working with alternative frameworks for assessment and, in doing so, supports the development of local tailor-made soil assessment systems. Highlights • Key local soil indicators are texture and colour which consistent with soil analysis results. • Location of soils influences the difference of fertility and fertility evaluation by farmers. • The classification of colour is different between Kitui farmers and scientific standard. • Qualitative farmer and quantitative soil science indicators could be used by extension officers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As women's participation has become central to the formulation and implementation of development programs, gender relations within households and gendered discourses in development programs have been subject to much scrutiny. This paper seeks to expand these notions of gender and development by situating women's participation at the intersections of households and development programs. More specifically, this paper approaches participation as an amalgam of presence and property – the former denoting myriad forms of women's work and knowledge, and the latter denoting access to and control over resources. The case study utilized here is the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) program which aims to organize small-scale dairy farmers through centralized hubs which improve access to dairy inputs and markets. Based on interviews conducted with women and men in Kenya and Uganda, this paper shows how initiatives that include women construct new pathways for women's participation because of the ways that various participatory strategies relate to one another, rather than due to the efficacy of one strategy over another. Overall, this paper seeks to contribute to gender and development studies by attending to how participation actually emerges in specific contexts through gendered negotiations with participatory development policies. • Participation is an amalgam of presence (women's work and knowledge) and property (access to and control over resources). • Participation is shaped by how various strategies relate to one another, rather than the efficacy of one over another. • Women and men use development program's participatory strategies to negotiate gender dynamics within households. • Complexities of participation traced through voices of women and men dairy farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we juxtapose two different sectors of China's economic presence in Africa: transport and digital infrastructure. Using the case of Kenya, a country that hosts several flagship corridors funded by Chinese loans and where Chinese "digital champions" have been active for two decades, we highlight some of the differences and similarities between these two forms of China's going-out capitalism in the continent. Our argument is that these 'varieties of capital' are conterminous, and they operate through both strategic and contingent overlaps within the same 'state-market nexus' and at the interface with programmes and goals of the African 'infrastructure state'. To illustrate this point, we draw on a comparative research effort inspired by a growing body of scholarship that has been labelled under the tag of 'Global China' and by a political economy reading of 'the market-in-state' system. This paper thus contributes empirically and conceptually to de-essentializing the Chinese presence in the African continent by recognizing the contextual agencies that shape it—the ambitious developmental agendas of the African state, in particular—as well as the interplay between its different corporate forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-induced migration is an increasingly pressing issue in many African regions, as rising temperatures and extreme weather events have caused the displacement of vulnerable populations. This is especially so in Eastern Africa and the Horn of Africa, particularly Kenya and Ethiopia, where extreme weather events have led to rangeland degradation, crop failures, water shortages, and food insecurity. Hence, there is a perceived need to understand these processes better. Against this background, this paper reports on a study investigating the processes associated with climate-induced migration in Kenya and Ethiopia. The research method used consisted of an expert-driven assessment approach, which assesses the causes of climate-induced migration in Kenya and Ethiopia and its human and social implications on local communities. Data were collected from 110 experts residing and working on climate and migration-related issues in Ethiopia and Kenya via e-mail, whose knowledge of the current situation has enabled the identification of some important trends. The results show that climate change is a primary trigger of migration both internally and externally. The high number of migrants, many of whom living within levels of poverty in their home areas is straining resources and services in the receiving regions. Their presence is also leading to increased competition for jobs and resources. Additionally, it has increased urban poverty, as many migrants have little access to living space and health care. This paper provides a welcome addition to the literature in that it lists the causes and implications of climate-induced migration and, by doing so, fosters a better understanding of the current crisis and its implications. The implications of this paper to the overall knowledge of climate change and migration are twofold. First, it highlights the need for governments, international organisations, and other stakeholders better to understand the complex linkages between climate change and migration. Secondly, it shows the usefulness of better recognising how climate change can drive migration and the other factors shaping the decision to migrate. The paper concludes by stating the urgent need for policies and programmes that support climate change-induced migrants. Also, it draws attention to the usefulness of promoting sustainable development in their origin countries and destinations, so that migration is not necessarily perceived as the only response to climate change. A further conclusion is that there is a perceived need for providing access to resources such as education, health care, and livelihood opportunities and establishing mechanisms to ensure a safe and dignified return for those who choose to do so. • Climate change is a significant driver for migration in Kenya and Ethiopia. • Droughts, conflicts, and crop failures are among the key drivers of migration. • Male migration is more prominent than a female one. • Limited access to productive resources leads to outmigration from rural areas. • Lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause any major migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates how refugees living in camps who graduated from a blended higher education programme have described their journey in building intercultural competences, by analysing the voices of almost 100 refugee graduates of the Diploma in Liberal Studies programme, accredited by Regis University and delivered by Jesuit Worldwide Learning. Focusing on the geographical scope of Dzaleka camp (Malawi) and Kakuma camp (Kenya), this article unveils the transformative intercultural learning that occurs in the Diploma programme, mostly appearing in the elements of knowledge and skills, attitudes, behaviour and outcomes. By anchoring this research in a context of social and geographic marginalisation, this paper contributes to the literature by investigating how a blended learning Diploma programme in Liberal Studies can serve as means to overcome physical barriers faced by students to access higher education and inner ones as graduates develop intercultural competence for their benefits and the ones of their community. Lastly, by bringing seldom heard voices, this paper reconciles the characteristics and values of intercultural competence with the intercultural needs of refugees living in camps to transform this competence into a peacebuilding tool. • Including refugees' views on intercultural competence is crucial for understanding this concept. • Refugee graduates use intercultural competence for peacebuilding and empowerment • Conflict resolution and critical thinking are emerging skills, part of intercultural competence • Blended learning transcends mobility and enables to build intercultural competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we assess the perceptions on fish consumption behaviour at different value chains using survey data from 3 coastal counties (Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale) in Kenya. Study profiled the different sectors; fishers, fish traders, fish shops, fish mongers, fish farmers and consumers. Qualitative and quantitative data was captured to evaluate availability of target species, market trends, pricing and fish consumption. A 1–5 Likert scale was adopted to analyse consumption behaviour. The Likert scale data was subjected to ANOVA analysis in SPSS to assess significance. Rabbit fish showed a higher preference compared to milkfish, Nile tilapia grown in sea water "marine tilapia" and silver pompano. High value fish attracted higher prices per kg in all seasons. The market prices of milkfish and Nile tilapia grown in sea water were 25 − 35 % lower than rabbit fish and silver pompano. There were variations in landings during North East Moonson and South East Moonson and more fish landings from open water as compared to near shore areas. Species preference was influenced by palatability, price, demand and quality meat where more than 30 % of the fisher's preferred rabbit fish based on the attributes. Farming skills, seed availability and management informed species farmed. The study demonstrated significance of demographic characteristics: family, age, culture, gender and education on fish preference. The paper reveals a need for high returns and value for money in the preference of fish species thus guiding mariculture management. Findings recommend rabbitfish as a suitable species for mariculture based on reference from both high income level and low income level consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is a crucial resource for dryland regions such as this, where surface water resources are limited and unreliable. This paper presents a study of the Lodwar Alluvial Aquifer System (LAAS) in northwestern Kenya and its hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics, with the goal of understanding how to sustainably manage the groundwater system. As a result, the paper focuses on elucidating the hydrogeochemical and river-groundwater interaction (using environmental isotopes and major ion chemistry) of an aquifer that is located in the north-western dryland of Kenya. The study utilised environmental isotopes of oxygen-18 (18O), deuterium (2H), and tritium (3H) as tracers for establishing recharge sources and origin of groundwater. A sampling campaign involving 112 water samples was conducted to establish isotopic compositions of rain, spring, surface water (rivers, scoop holes, dams and lake) and groundwater at the peak of the wet season in May 2018. The tritium values in the study area ranged from 1.1 to 2.4 TU. Considering the median values of δ18O and δ2H in surface water and groundwater samples, four clusters emerge based on the degree of enrichment; Cluster 1 comprises the lake water (δ18O = +6.01, δ2H = +41.9); Cluster 2 is the Turkwel and Kawalase river water with slightly positive relative to VSMOW and with different δ2H values (+7.6‰ versus −9.8‰). The third cluster is the groundwater of the Shallow Alluvial Aquifer (SAA) and the Deep Aquifer (DA) (δ18O = −0.96‰ and −0.70‰; and δ2H = +0.4‰ and +0.6‰, respectively). The last cluster comprises the most isotope-depleted waters of water pans, scoop holes, Intermediate Aquifer (IA) and Turkana Grit Shall Aquifer (TGSA) with median values ranging from −2.87‰ to −2.48‰ for δ18O and −8.6‰ and −16.4‰ for δ2H. While the SAA is mainly recharge by the Turkwel River, a relationship is observed between the values deuterium in the Kawalase (−9.6‰ VSMOW) and IA (−8.6‰ VSMOW). Understanding recharge sources and aquifer vulnerability of similar strategic aquifers helps scientists appropriately advise policymakers and the water community who develop sustainable water use, aquifer protection and conservation strategies. In addition, the study contributes scientific evidence of isotopic compositions of groundwater in the Horn of Africa. Furthermore, the evidence of surface water-groundwater interaction presents a case of a fragile dryland ecosystem. Future work will involve the installation of piezometers in strategic aquifer zones to monitor groundwater levels in relation to river gauging data to quantify the amount of recharge and establish the impacts of rainfall variability in the upstream catchment. • Hydrochemical and isotopic composition of LAAS inform urban groundwater management. • Tritium occurrence shows aquifers' vulnerability to human and climate factors. • Study enriches isotopic groundwater knowledge in the Horn of Africa. • Aquifer insights aid sustainable groundwater policies in global urban drylands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the diverse ways in which science and technology are implicated in collective imaginations of urban futures in Kenya. Despite calls for a 'deep reimagining' of African urbanisation (UN Habitat 2014), globalised narratives of urban 'smartness' are intersecting with pan-African tendencies toward top-down Master Planning to constrain spaces for collective imagining of urban futures. Using the conceptual lens of sociotechnical imaginaries and the methodological approach of Q method, we hope to open up and navigate the space of tension between the violence of narratives of failure and crisis in African cities, and the sometimes 'blinding power' of certain hyper-modernist visions of urban futures. We argue that powerful global hegemonic forces around urban transformation can sometimes be most effectively balanced, not by reproducing the same assertive idiom of stylised monothetic categories and set-piece contrasts but by illuminating diversity in the implicated imaginations. Our research describes three distinguishable overlapping imaginaries of Kenya urban futures, which we call: ' Working towards equitable, culturally-vibrant urban habitats for all '; ' Transforming our cities and ourselves to become 'smarter' and thrive sustainability in a digital future', and 'Pragmatically harnessing technology for more inclusive, equitable, liveable cities'. Our findings highlight salient dimensions of difference between the imaginaries including: diverse understandings of technology and culture in urban areas; diverse imaginaries of the urban dwellers of the future; and diverse imagined processes of change. Through detailed analysis of the distinctiveness and similarities/overlap between these imaginaries, we draw out implications for urban governance in Kenya. • Narratives of urban 'smartness' and Master Planning shape imaginaries of urban futures in Kenya. • Q methodology reveals three overlapping imaginaries of Kenya urban futures. • Dimensions of difference between imaginaries, and implications for urban governance are explored. • Combinations of relations between imaginaries are key to understanding the Kenyan context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the global 2007–2009 financial crisis, central banks and policy makers globally, have spearheaded reforms aimed at improving financial stability. At the same time, a lot of effort and resources have been devoted to access and use of quality financial services by both households and firms. Existing literature suggests both positive and negative impact of financial inclusion on financial stability, but this is yet to be empirically validated. This paper investigates the effect of financial inclusion on financial stability in Kenya. Estimation results reveals that financial inclusion enhances financial stability. Therefore, policies that promote greater financial inclusion would boost financial stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deep learning models are used to predict the ionospheric GPS-VTEC. • Gated recurrent neural network performs better than Long Short-Term Memory and Multilayer perceptron during intense storms. • Deep learning models perform better than that of IRI-Plas 2017 model. This paper provides the application of deep learning models such as Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and a recently proposed Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) in forecasting the ionospheric GPS_VTEC, and compare the performance of the results with that of Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural networks, GIM_TEC and the IRI-Plas 2017 models. GPS_VTEC time series data estimated from GPS measurement over low latitude equatorial station MAL2 with (geo.lat - 2.7 0 N a n d L o n g 40.19 0 E) located in Kenya is used in this study. The data span from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018 which covers 9 years of solar cycle 24. The data from the year 2010 to 2016 is used for the training, while the year 2017 data is used for validation and finally the data in the year 2018 is used to examine the performance of the models during the testing period. The performance of the models is based on statistical parameters such as root-mean-square error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R). The GRU unit shows a correlation coefficient of 0.971 with GPS_VTEC and a prediction error of 2.004 TECU while that of LSTM, MLP, GIM_TEC, and IRI-Plas 2017 models are 0.967, 0.951, 0.832 and 0.774 with a prediction error of 2.055 TECU, 2.336 TECU, 5.913 and 16.183 TECU, respectively. This shows that the predictions of the gated system models are better than the MLP, GIM_TEC and IRI-Plas models. Considering the prediction ability of these models to forecast the GPS-VTEC values under an intense Geomagnetic Storm event, it is observed that the GRU unit can achieve the best prediction accuracy and shows a strong performance for the trend prediction of this event more than the LSTM, MLP, GIM_TEC, and IRI-Plas models. In all, the three deep learning models perform better than the GIM_TEC and the IRI-Plas 2017 model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the market for off-grid solar (OGS) systems providing affordable sources of energy has seen a remarkable expansion in many developing countries where coverage by the electricity grid is limited. The observed market growth has been fuelled by the provision of finance by a variety of foreign investors to private suppliers of such systems. The development of the OGS market plays an important part in meeting the development imperative of ensuring access to sustainable and affordable sources of energy for all. However, increasing awareness and criticism have emerged about the generation of electronic waste (e-waste) from solar products as an unintended negative side effect of their diffusion. In this paper, we explore whether and how investors of dominant OGS system providers in Kenya, a country that has experienced rapid growth in its OGS market, have reacted to concerns about solar e-waste by changing their funding modalities and practices. Our analysis is based on in-depth interviews carried out with a diverse sample of international investors and industry experts. We find that most investors have not incorporated requirements for managing e-waste beyond a mere box-ticking exercise in their due diligence and monitoring and compliance mechanisms. Hence, e-waste is currently not seen as a priority for investors, which raises questions about the overall environmental sustainability of such investments. To the extent that some investors have devoted attention to improving e-waste management, such efforts appear to have been motivated by the potential risks to their reputations. We also find that the Global Off-Grid Lighting Association – a global industry association for the off-grid solar sector – plays an important role in making investors aware of the link between their investments and the adverse environmental impacts of e-waste. Since most of the solar supplier firms are start-ups that are concerned with developing viable businesses, we find that investors do not want to impose another cost burden on them by requiring the introduction of elaborate e-waste management as part of their investment criteria. Furthermore, our interviews highlight the lack of adequate waste transport and recycling infrastructures and the lack of pressures from waste management regulation as key barriers to the management of e-waste. We discuss the relevance of these findings for strategies on how best to tackle the emerging problem of e-waste from OGS devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of resilience, and livelihood resilience more specifically, is growing in prominence with international development and humanitarian organizations that aim to measure and build resilience to specific disturbances such as floods or droughts. However, measuring livelihood resilience is a difficult task, and practical methods to measure livelihood resilience, as well as analyze and visualize the data are needed. In this paper, I introduce the Household Livelihood Resilience Approach (HLRA), which draws from the sustainable livelihoods approach and it’s five capital assets to measure resilience. However, unlike other approaches that use the five capital assets such as utilized by Zurich Insurance Group, Ltd and the IFRC, the HLRA goes farther to help visualize the results and identify specific actions to build resilience. This paper illustrates the effectiveness of the HLRA through an empirical case study where this approach was used to measure livelihood resilience in Isiolo County, Kenya, and the effectiveness of agroforestry in building livelihood resilience for agricultural households. Drawing from this case study, I suggest five ways that the HLRA improves upon previous frameworks, including 1) providing practical methods and tools, not just a theoretical framework, 2) integrating ‘subjective’ measures of livelihood resilience, 3) focusing on the household-scale instead of community-scale or larger, 4) providing methods to analyze, visualize, and interpret results of livelihood resilience measures, and 5) highlighting the importance of human agency, power, and access to assets. The HLRA has the potential to help organizations identify specific interventions that could help build livelihood resilience for the most vulnerable groups of people within a community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early cervical cancer screening has been shown to be beneficial in reducing cervical cancer related deaths. Despite the benefits of early cervical cancer screening, uptake remains limited, with wide disparities in access and uptake in most developing countries. As part of a larger study, this paper uses a socio-ecological framework to explain the determinants of cervical cancer knowledge and screening among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Kenya. We conducted a multilevel analysis of cervical cancer knowledge (n = 11,138) and screening (n = 10,333) using the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS). Results show regional disparities in cancer knowledge and the utilization of cervical cancer screening services; regions with high wealth inequality (OR = 0.70, 95% CI [0.56–0.87]) emerged as vulnerable regions where women were less likely to screen for cervical cancer. Gender equity, health insurance coverage and education level significantly predicted cervical cancer screening rates. Results further revealed regional as well as rural-urban wealth inequalities in cervical cancer screening. We argue that given that Kenyan women are highly exposed to human papilloma virus (HPV) due to the legacy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country, cervical cancer may be the next epidemic if integrated measures are not adopted to increase cervical cancer knowledge and overcome the barriers to utilizing early screening services. The paper concludes with policy recommendations and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical height system in Kenya is anchored on a single levelling-based tidal gauge, which is referred to as mean sea level. The fusion of existing height systems into the world height system is one of the primary objectives of the International Height Reference System (IHRS) implementation. Computing the datum offset with regard to the global IHRS datum and the zero-height geopotential value can help achieve this goal in part. This paper studies the approach of using a Global Geopotential model (GGM) with the GNSS-levelling as a convenient method for vertical datum offsets' computation that may connect two or more vertical datums. To reduce the geoid omission error of the GGMs, an optimized GGM is developed and utilized up to a maximum of 3600° and order. For the first time, the numerical analyses of this work reveal the zero-height geopotential and its associated standard error of the Kenyan vertical datum, from which the datum offsets with the IHRS were estimated. Values of 62636850.996 ± 0.104 m 2 s − 2 and − 24.5 ± 1.04 c m were obtained as the geopotential of the zero-height and vertical datum offset with respect to the global value, respectively. • The unification of current height systems into the global height system is a key objective of the IHRS realization. • Vertical datum parameters computed using geopotential numbers and/or external geoid models. • A combined GGM is created by combining spherical harmonic coefficients of different GGMs. • A maximum degree and order of 3600 will keep the effect of the omission error below 1 cm. • The geopotential value of 62636850.996 and a datum offset value of 24.5cm were adopted as vertical datum parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some invasive tree species threaten biodiversity and cause irreversible damage to global ecosystems. The key to controlling and monitoring the propagation of invasive tree species is to detect their occurrence as early as possible. In this regard, one-class classification (OCC) shows potential in forest areas with abundant species richness since it only requires a few positive samples of the invasive tree species to be mapped, instead of all the species. However, the classical OCC method in remote sensing is heavily dependent on manually designed features, which have a limited ability in areas with complex species distributions. Deep learning based tree species classification methods mostly focus on multi-class classification, and there have been few studies of the deep OCC of tree species. In this paper, a deep positive and unlabeled learning based OCC framework— ITreeDet —is proposed for identifying the invasive tree species of Eucalyptus spp. (eucalyptus) and Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) in the Taita Hills of southern Kenya. In the ITreeDet framework, an absNegative risk estimator is designed to train a robust deep OCC model by fully using the massive unlabeled data. Compared with the state-of-the-art OCC methods, ITreeDet represents a great improvement in detection accuracy, and the F1-score was 0.86 and 0.70 for eucalyptus and black wattle, respectively. The study area covers 100 km2 of the Taita Hills, where, according to our findings, the total area of eucalyptus and black wattle is 1.61 km2 and 3.24 km2, respectively, which represent 6.78% and 13.65% of the area covered by trees and forest. In addition, both invasive tree species are located in the higher elevations, and the extensive spread of black wattle around the study area confirms its invasive tendency. The maps generated by the use of the proposed algorithm will help local government to develop management strategies for these two invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Common simplifications in transformation discourse can entrench unsustainability. • Acknowledgement of complex dimensionalities and temporalities is crucial. • Clear-cut dimensions of distinction before/after transformation cannot be assumed. • Transformations do not always unfold neatly and cumulatively in a given direction. • Examples from Kenya (cities) and the UK (energy) are discussed. Through interlinked theoretical and empirical analysis, this paper explores some important but neglected questions concerning efforts to achieve sustainability. To what extents do currently dominant forms of academic study and policy visions in this field, satisfactorily address the full political depth and scope of vital complexities in pathways for emerging social transformations? Are there dangers that common simplifications in mainstream ways of thinking about transformation, inadvertently help invisibly to reproduce entrenched patterns of privilege and power that drive focal problems of unsustainability? In particular, does a ' monothetic ' focus on circumscribed sites or sectoral formations with notionally few clear-cut dimensions of distinction before and after, risk missing more multiple and messy ' polythetic ' dimensionalities in which power and privilege can hide? What are the implications of common assumptions that pathways for change proceed ' monotonically ' – neatly and cumulatively in a particular direction, if real world transformations actually unfold according to more plural, undulating and unruly ' non-monotonic ' temporalities? In order to investigate these questions, the paper employs the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries to explore the constituting dimensions of contrasting understandings of 'urban transformations' in Kenya and 'the nuclear renaissance' in the UK. Q method and in-depth interpretive policy analysis are used to test patterns in relationships between imagined transformations and their unfoldings over time. The findings suggest that current mainstream approaches may indeed unduly simplify vital complexities in the ways these political dynamics play out – with potentially important practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Nderit Ware," a type of pottery famous in eastern Africa for its remarkably intricate basket-like bowls, is associated with evidence for the region's earliest pastoralism during a time period known as the Pastoral Neolithic (PN, c. 5000-1200 cal BP). This paper reviews the changing ways archaeologists have conceptualized "Nderit" pottery over the past eighty years. The "Nderit" ware type was defined in relation to initial finds in central Kenya, decades before archaeologists discovered Nderit had greater antiquity as a technology/artistic tradition in northwest Kenya's Turkana Basin. Ceramic assemblages from pillar sites surrounding Lake Turkana – including Lothagam North (GeJi9) and Jarigole (GbJj1) – reveal a more variable and complex history of ceramic production and use than previously recognized. Nderit's first known production and use is associated with the region's earliest food producers, mobile pastoralists establishing themselves around a dramatically shrinking Lake Turkana. These findings carry important implications for reconstructing the cultural history and material lives of early herding groups moving within and beyond the Turkana Basin, and expand our frame of reference for understanding the origins of pottery production by mobile, small-scale groups worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary In the context of de-regulation of the coffee sector, the registration of some Geographical Indications (GIs) has recently been implemented. This paper aims at answering to the following research question: how does GIs’ process (protection and management) help to rationalize the role of the state in the coffee sector? In Colombia, the National Coffee Growers Federation took all initiatives for the registration and implementation of Café de Colombia as a GI both in Colombia and in European Union and manages also the GI use. In Kenya, the Coffee Directorate registered the certification trademark “Coffee Kenya, So Rich So Kenyan” and acts as public body in charge of managing the coffee sector. Although both countries conceived different approaches, there is a common strategic line, which consists in attempting to secure downstream value of the long lasting origin coffee branding and in strengthening the quality management system. This paper shows that discrepancies in public intervention in the coffee industry depend on the empowerment of producers in this industry irrespective of the legal tool to protect GIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper explores the challenges for analysis of urbanization which can arise from insufficiently rigorous definition of what is “urban”. Policy makers and investors still use the ideas of “rural” versus “urban” and increasingly assume that the pace of urbanization in African countries is a measure of positive economic structural change. However most urban definitions do not incorporate economic characteristics. In Africa widely differing urban population thresholds and administrative factors are the most common criteria. The thresholds are often so low that many rural settlements are also defined as “urban” or they may be included on population density criteria, meaning the apparent pace of urbanization is inflated unrealistically. These issues are exemplified in this paper through detailed examples drawn from Kenya. It uses a range of sources including official census data and urban data published by Africapolis, as well as aerial images of rural and urban settlements in Kenya. It demonstrates how the use of population density criteria has inflated Kenyan urban data by the incorporation of very large numbers of rural people and explains how this can lead to entirely misleading interpretations of local and national urban and migration trends. Errors in urban figures can therefore have serious policy implications. It is argued that such errors can be reduced by not relying on a single criterion to define “urban” or by triangulating data on rural and urban settlements with other relevant information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The take-up of the social pension in Kenya has varied across diverse sub-national contexts. • This paper finds that the registration of remote and marginalized populations in Marsabit County was negatively impacted by two factors. • Weak state infrastructural power and the political timing of the social pension registration limited the program's reach. • The quasi-universal social pension has increased coverage and reduced the burdens of targeting. • However, complementary investments in state capacity are required to ensure social assistance access for marginalized populations. In 2017 the government of Kenya transformed its poverty-targeted older persons cash transfer into a '70-plus' social pension. While the literature suggests that a switch from targeted to universal programs would simplify registration and reduce inclusion and exclusion errors, there were significant variations in take-up of the social pension across diverse counties in Kenya, with lower take-up in counties with higher rates of poverty. Drawing on qualitative data collected across six months in 2018, including interviews and focus group discussions with government officials, community leaders, politicians and ordinary citizens, this paper examines why take-up of the social pension has been lower in Marsabit County, an area of the country with high levels of poverty. We find that government officials struggled to register eligible beneficiaries in remote and marginalized communities within the mass registration exercise's tight timelines. As a result, they often relied on local actors to relay information between the state and local communities, which resulted in uneven registration and the exclusion of some marginalized populations, particularly in remote and conflicted affected areas. We argue that pressure from the national government to register potential beneficiaries in the month prior to the highly contested 2017 national election exacerbated the challenges posed by low state infrastructural power, including limited resources, low state oversight and a lack of embeddedness within local communities. The visible expansion of the social pension prior to the election was prioritized over achieving universal registration. This paper contributes to the literature on universal versus targeted approaches to social assistance and furthers our knowledge of the challenges of reaching the poorest of the poor even through nominally 'universal' programs. While universal approaches expand access to social assistance, this paper highlights the importance of ongoing registration and investments in state infrastructural power to ensure that remote and marginalized populations can access social assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional ex-ante evaluations rely on a mix of economic, environmental, and social indicators to assess the potential impacts of Genetically Modified (GM) crops prior to their commercial release. While these predictive studies have produced useful knowledge, they have also consistently overestimated the ex-post outcomes of GM crops for African smallholder farmers. Yet these same assessment methods remain the dominant approach to project farmer outcomes for a new suite of soon-to-be commercialized GM staple crops. The research presented in this paper offers a different evaluative approach for these new GM crops by taking inspiration from farming systems research (FSR). We use the conceptual starting point of FSR scholarship—the farming system—to conduct an exploratory predictive analysis of three GM crops currently in the experimental pipeline: Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) in Kenya, disease-resistant matooke banana in Uganda, and Bt cowpea in Burkina Faso. Our findings suggest that the lofty projected benefits of these crops are unlikely to be realized by many, if not most, smallholder farmers due to incongruences with the farming systems they are designed to benefit. This research demonstrates the importance of using farming system-based evaluation methods to better anticipate likely farm-level outcomes of new breeding technologies. • Conventional ex-ante evaluations of new GM varieties are too restrictive and narrow. • Farming Systems Research can be used to anticipate farm-level outcomes. • New GM varieties are unlikely to improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals often manage low and risky earnings using informal transfers, which are influenced by both fairness norms and the desire for informal risk-sharing. This paper develops an experiment that allows us to disentangle these motives when income can depend on effort. The empirical analysis shows that people are equally likely to give transfers from high-income to low-income partners when income is due to chance as when both participants exert effort to increase expected income; however, participants are less likely to give transfers when one or both partners do not exert effort. These transfers are more likely due to risk-sharing than inequity aversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies aimed at enhancing adoption of energy efficient, less polluting fuels, stoves and cooking practices need to be aligned to the realities of household multiple uses of fuels and stoves. In this paper we assess energy ladder model by using large nationwide survey data of 3665 Kenyan households collected in 2009. We show that the energy ladder is still sufficient to explain multiple fuel use and stove, and that the use of 'fuel or stove staking' metaphor was unnecessarily. Instead, we propose a metaphor 'fuel and stove balancing' to explain how uptake of single to multiple fuels or stoves happens gradually, through upwards and downwards movement on the ladder. Factors that influence stove balancing go beyond socio-economic and demographic characteristics to include stove type technology, markets, and financial factors. These factors are systematical analyzed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-2) framework that is based on seven constructs of technology adoption. They include performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value and habit. • Uptake of improved and modern/clean cook stove technologies is low generally in Kenya. • The ladder metaphor can support both use of a single and multiple fuels and stove. • The concept of 'fuel and stove balancing' is proposed and assessed using Kenya as case study. • Stove technology, socio-economic and demographic, markets, and financial factors are estimated in stove balancing model. • The identified factors are systematically analyzed using Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean water facilities and services are failing the population of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), hindering the goal of "Water for All" owing to unsustainable drinking water projects and infrastructure. A vast body of literature has examined the lack of sustainability in drinking water projects, identifying: economic, technological, planning, social and political factors. However, much of the existing literature reflects fragmented and siloed thinking, often focusing on specific issues without a holistic view, masking root causes, and overlooking multi-level stakeholder involvement, necessitating deeper analysis. In addition, most studies view individual projects as pertaining to a single spatial level—such as the village level—detached from its regional or global ecosystem. This paper introduces the "Holistic Integrated Framework" developed through a study in Siaya County, Kenya, on the sustainability of water projects aimed at bridging these gaps. This tool can enhance our understanding of sustainability, allowing for a comprehensive examination and understanding of the problems. It enables the identification of multiple spatial and governance levels and their cross referencing with sustainability categories. It uncovers essential underlying factors driving project sustainability and assesses stakeholders' interconnectedness as well as the direct impact of their actions, thus assisting in addressing the myriad obstacles to sustainability. Furthermore, it identifies the regional feedback loops that perpetuate these problems. The tool is exemplified through a case study illustrating the complexity and fragility of sustainability's, emphasizing the need for a detailed, comprehensive analysis to mitigate risks. • Drinking water projects' sustainability is a complex goal and unsustainable projects hinder the goal of "Water for All". • The HIF, is a comprehensive approach for evaluating and planning project sustainability with an ecosystem's perspective. • Sustainability can only be evaluated and achieved locally. • The HIF enables to uncover multitude sustainability factors, underlying issues and stakeholders and regional feedback loops. • The HIF, assists to plan for obstacles to sustainability and thus, supports progress toward UN SDG 6.1, in SSA by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on financial institutions and on consumers' adoption of Financial Technology (FinTech) for payments. This paper documents the following findings in Kenya. (1) The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption and increased the payment concentration of FinTech. We document an approximately 54% increase in mobile banking transactions, a 19.56% increase in mobile banking agents, and a 14.56% increase in the number of mobile banking accounts. (2) The use of all types of electronic payment cards declined significantly during the pandemic. (3) The pandemic magnified interbank contagion and liquidity risks and reduced both domestic and international electronic fund transfers via both the Real-Gross Settlement System and the Automated Clearing House. Overall, our results indicate that FinTech not only partially alleviated the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during Q1 of 2021 but also accelerated consumers' adoption of FinTech and digital onboarding, especially in Q3 and Q4 of 2022. • The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of FinTech. • The use of mobile banking has significantly increased during the pandemic. • The use of electronic payment cards has significantly declined during the pandemic. • The pandemic has reduced domestic and international electronic funds transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption and improvement of energy efficiency is one of the recommended pathways to tackle the problems of growing energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. However, studies show that rebound effects from energy efficiency improvements can erode anticipated energy savings. This paper elucidates the rebound effect arising from energy efficiency initiatives in Kenya. The study uses Index Decomposition Analysis to assess the drivers of Kenya's total primary energy supply. The paper then adopts the neoclassical growth model in the empirical analysis of energy and carbon rebound effects at the macro-economic level. Cobb-Douglas production function is further applied using Solow growth model and energy as a factor of production to approximate technological progress. Results of decomposition of energy supply show that energy intensity and affluence are the drivers with the most significant effect on energy supply while population has less critical effect. Average energy and carbon rebound effects show partial rebounds of 15.64% and 31.41%, respectively. These results imply that there is need to accelerate the pace of transitioning to green energy as the ultimate solution to minimizing environmental impacts arising from energy use and tackling climate change. • Carbon and energy rebound effects of energy efficiency initiatives is studied. • Decomposition analysis is used to investigate drivers of energy supply. • Energy intensity and affluence have most significant influence on energy supply. • Average estimates of carbon and energy rebound effects are partial rebound effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transient secondary towns emerge at foreign investment sites in the Global South. • Labour migrants' translocal agency shapes transient urbanization. • Flower and vegetable firms have a varied impact on material and social urban space. Based on a study of globalized export horticulture at Lake Naivasha, Kenya, this paper explores urban development at the intersections of foreign capital investments and translocal labour mobility. We argue that patterns of translocality largely track the specific requirements and temporalities of the cut flower and vegetable industries, lending an ephemeral and provisional character to the town of Naivasha and the urban sprawl encompassing it. Drawing on empirical research in Naivasha and literature on urbanization in contexts of export agriculture, we contribute to scholarly debates on the transiency of urban spaces in the Global South by focusing on "secondary towns", or those small- and medium-sized towns that rapidly emerge around foreign investment sites. Our findings suggest that urban transiency, understood as a provisional form of urbanism, is especially pronounced in such secondary towns compared to more consolidated urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Turning public land into profits is a growing phenomenon in the Global South. • Public operators have to release their land and real estate properties. • We choose an original vantage point from the inside of the public operators. • This approach shows a varied process of public land commodification and privatization. This paper contributes to the current debates on public land commodification and privatization in a Global South perspective by comparing the disposal of railway land in Kenya and India. Turning public land into profits through inventory, sale, concession, real estate capitalisation is a growing phenomenon at the global level. The literature on large-scale urban development projects and political economy accounts on public land commodification often mobilize the prism of "the land grab" in their analysis to highlight the consequences of a predatory private property supported by State governments, leading to various forms of dispossession. In contrast to these works, we explore over a long period of time the professional cultures, the internal restructuring and the relations to central administrations of two public operators who are pushed to valorize their urban land and real estate properties. This vantage point from the inside of the organizations offers a specific account of the changing trajectories of land ownership, the generation of urban land value and the changing faces of public enterprises in an era of neoliberal reforms in cities of the Global South. It allows us to open a more complex and varied process of land commodification than it would appear from examples of the urban land grab debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the path towards a clean energy transition in rural areas, from the time that households do not have electricity access from any source, to when they get access to the national electricity; considering the intermediate access to an off-grid renewable technology, as well as the post-electrification years. For this, field household-level data are collected through surveys and electricity consumption measurements in rural Kenya. Potential electricity access transitions were analyzed, in which the determinants of grid-electricity and solar home system (SHS) adoption were identified, finding that factors such as peer-pressure, good quality housing materials, and a male as household head will increase the probabilities to up to 45% for grid-electricity adoption. Increasing the electricity price and the unreliability of the electricity service will have a negative effect on these probabilities, reducing them at rates from 5 to 22%. Households that had access to a SHS before getting grid-electricity connection are likely to consume 9 kWh/month (equivalent to 142KSh/month) more than those that did not have access to it. Results also show that women as decision-makers have a key role in the energy transition, as female-headed households are keener to move to cleaner fuels at an early stage. The post-electrification consumption peak is likely to occur until the third year of connection, as households acquire more power-consuming appliances; however, this is greatly affected by the electricity grid unreliability. These findings intend to fill in the knowledge gap on understanding each step of the energy ladder in rural areas, which can potentially support the design of energy access interventions and policy strategies. • Empirical research based on evidence from 250 households in rural Kenya • Maximum likelihood probit models are applied to analyze energy transition paths. • SHSs increase clean fuels adoption and electricity consumption after grid-electrification. • Women as decision-makers are keener to adopt cleaner fuels at early stages. • Electricity usage has an increasing trend over the years, having a peak on the third year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The private sector now has a lead role in innovative sanitation in the Global South. • The Peepoo bag is a biodegradable toilet bag for use in informal settlements. • End users liked the innovation, but it failed to integrate into the regime. • Aid organizations and private sector form different epistemic communities. • The company failed to gain legitimacy for its product among donors. What is needed for the private sector to successfully establish itself as a key player in delivering sustainable sanitation in the Global South? The present paper aims to offer some answers to this through the case of Peepoople AB, a company delivering a single-use biodegradable toilet bag in informal settlements. The company aimed to but failed in combining sustainable development of sanitation and financial gain for investors. We suggest that explanations for the failure can be found in the interaction between the company and the development– and aid organisations already involved in sanitation development. Through Strategic Niche Management, we look at whether the company managed to create relevant social networks, expectation dynamics and learning processes. The company gained legitimacy with end users, but failed to gain legitimacy in the development sector as it did not prioritise the kind of learning and competence considered relevant in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-participation in collective activities was a dominant strategy in the Lake Naivasha basin. • Choice of decision to participate was significantly influenced by expected benefits, human capital and labour endowments. • Informal sanctions, norms of trust and attitudes/perceptions significantly and positively correlated with participation. The fact that agriculture is associated with negative external effects on ecosystems is of great concern. Most of these agri-environmental externalities are public goods in nature and therefore solving them through conventional market and regulation tools is challenging. Collective action has been identified as an option in dealing with externalities emanating from activities touching on agriculture and the environment especially in circumstances where markets and government regulation are not effective. In this paper, we assess the potential for collective action in addressing agri-environmental externalities. The study achieves this objective using cross-sectional household survey data collected from 307 households in the Lake Naivasha basin, Kenya. Results indicate that non-participation in collective action initiatives is a dominant strategy in the Lake Naivasha basin. The study also identifies factors that influence the probability of participating and therefore could be catalysts to encourage participation. Such factors include expected private incentives, labour endowments and agricultural commercialization. Positive perceptions and attitudes, the presence of social sanctions and norms of trust were also found to significantly influence participation. To deal with agri-environmental challenges through collective action, policy needs to focus on facilitating selective incentives, awareness creation and embracing local participation in resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slum upgrading interventions often assume that all residents have similar aspirations and needs. However, these neighbourhoods rank among the most unequal settlements, and interventions can create winners and losers. Different dimensions of diversity have to be taken into consideration in planning such interventions to ensure a just outcome. Through the analysis of specific examples of slum upgrading processes in Nairobi, the paper identifies three interlinked aspects of diversity that need to be considered. These relate to Fraser's dimensions of social justice and to the pillars of the right to the city. We find that slum upgrading projects assume that all residents aspire to better housing and are willing to invest their savings and effort to achieve this. However, this is not a priority for everyone living in informal settlements. For many, the informal settlement is a relatively cheap housing option located close to good educational and economic opportunities, allowing parents to save for children's education. Interventions in informal settlements seldom consider the impact of market dynamics on different groups of residents. In informal settlements with some rental housing, improved infrastructures can lead to sudden increases in rent, displacing the most vulnerable residents of the settlement. Attempts to take diversity into account in participatory processes with local residents generally only recognise a limited number of dimensions of identity. They tend to divide people based on one dimension only, as if there were no others. However, people have multiple identities and some can be more salient than others when it comes to slum upgrading. This paper argues for an intersectional and relational approach, focusing on the relations between residents, and between different groups of residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street artists around the world have been prominent in depicting issues concerning COVID-19, but the role of street art in public-making during the pandemic is unexplored. Despite burgeoning street art scenes in many African countries since the early 2000s, African street art is relatively neglected in critical street art scholarship. In response, this paper examines street art created during the pandemic in East African countries, principally Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, and explores the ways in which it is engaged in highly distinctive forms of public-making. Drawing primarily on qualitative online interviews with East African artists creating street art, and image analysis using online search tools, the paper argues that street art in urban areas is attempting to create knowledgeable publics through countering disinformation about the pandemic, to responsiblize publics through public health messaging and, through community activism, to build resilient publics. The paper concludes that street art is potentially an important tool in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in East African countries due to the proximity, and mutual constitution of, creative practices and publics, which emerge from the embedding of street art within the social spaces of cities and everyday experiences of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring forest cover change from Earth observation data streams in near-real-time presents a challenge for automated change detection by way of a continuously updated big dataset. Even though deforestation is a significant global problem, forest cover changes in pairs of subsequent images happen relatively infrequently. Detecting a change can require the download and processing of tens, hundreds or even thousands of images. In geoscientific applications of Earth observation, machine learning algorithms are increasingly used. Once trained, a machine learning model can be applied to new images automatically. This paper introduces the open-access Python 3 package Pyeo - " Py thon for E arth O bservation". Pyeo provides a set of portable, extensible and modular Python functions for the automation of machine learning applications from Earth observation data streams, including automated search and download functionality, pre-processing and atmospheric correction, re-projection, creation of thematic base layers and machine learning classification or regression. Pyeo enables users to train their own machine learning models and then apply the models to newly downloaded imagery over their area of interest. This paper describes in detail how Pyeo works, its requirements, benefits, and a description of the libraries used. An application to the automated forest cover change detection in a region in Kenya is given. Pyeo can be used on cloud computing architectures such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Colab to provide scalable applications and processing solutions for the geosciences. • Highlight 1: A Python package for Earth observation processing chains for change detection is presented. • Highlight 2: Data can be processed in near-real-time whenever a new satellite image is acquired. • Highlight 3: The satellite change detection algorithm informs the user of detected change events. • Highlight 4: An application to a forest in Kenya is presented to demonstrate the software. • Highlight 5: This software is used by the Kenya Forest Service for monitoring deforestation from Sentinel-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural electrification has been a long-standing goal in Kenya, but there is still a long way to go with only 7% rural access to electricity. Therefore, there lies great potential for small wind turbines (SWT) in areas with sufficient wind resources. This paper presents a review of the SWT sector in Kenya. The review consists of a description of the status of the sector and a more in-depth investigation into factors and dynamics that hinder sector growth. This investigation is performed by using a combination of two theoretical approaches: Strategic Niche Management (SNM) and the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP). The main insights from this review are that the SWT sector in Kenya is growing but is characterized by one-time experiments, fragmented learning experiences, lack of focus and low quality products and services. The weakly aligned network with many underperforming actors and unaligned expectations is the main cause of the weak current status of the sector. Despite the low rural electricity access and growing electricity demand, niche upscaling remains cumbersome due to external factors such as corruption, poverty, lack of innovation and an anti-entrepreneurial mind-set. The results of this review serve as inputs for recommendations for all niche actors on what can be done to make the niche grow. In addition, the paper includes ideas on how the SNM and MLP approaches could become better suited for reviewing and analyzing renewable energy technologies in developing countries such as SWTs in the Kenyan context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]