Abstract:
This paper examined the effects of land use changes on the livelihood of the local communities in Baringo
County. Land is a principal factor of production, a source of life and livelihoods. It provides a means of living and a variety of
uses such as agricultural, human settlement, environmental conservation, urban and industrial development purposes among
others. These uses compete for space in a fixed area, hence the rising land use conflicts and degradation. The situation has
threatened lives and livelihoods, making it difficult to plan for the livelihood activities in Baringo County. This is happening
against the backdrop of land use policy changes including; the National Land Policy, the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Land
Act, 2012, the Land Registration Act, 2012, the Community Land Act, 2016 and the National Land Use Policy that confers
sanctity on land use. Using non-experimental survey design, 323 households were randomly sampled from Baringo South,
Tiaty, Baringo North and Eldama Ravine Constituencies. Cobb-Douglas production model was used to analyze livelihood
assets productivity. The study found out that land use changes decreased livelihood assets productivity at varied level of
significance; human by 56.1% at 1%, physical by 53.4% at 10% and financial by 65.6% at 5% level. This decrease is related
with the unregistered community land in dry areas (pastoral) largely in Tiaty constituency, where livelihood assets productivity
decreased by 282.4% at 5%, and in the marginal areas (agro-pastoral) largely in Baringo South, where livelihood assets
productivity decreased by 9% at 1% level of significance. In contrast, land use changes increased livelihood assets productivity
in the highlands, particularly, in Eldama Ravine constituency, it increased by 139.3% at 10%, and in Baringo North
Constituency, it increased by 5.1% at 1% level of significance. This increase in livelihood assets productivity in the highlands
was associated with security of land tenure under registered private land use. The study concluded that unregistered
community land is the main cause of unstable and uncertain livelihoods in Baringo County particularly in dry areas. The
effects led to severe land use conflicts occasioning deaths, displacement and distorted livelihood perpetuating uncertain
conditions for future livelihood development. The government, therefore, need to recognize, protect and register the local
communities’ interest on community land. This will guarantee land tenure security, enhance livelihood assets productivity and
secure future development for the local communities.
Keywords: Land Use Changes, Livelihood of Communities, Policy Decisions
