women and environmental conservation in Yata Division, Machakos district: a study of socio-economic status of women as a factor in participation

Abstract

The study highlights the relationship between women's socio-economic status and their participation in environmental conservation in Yatta division in the arid and semi-arid part of Kenya. The major objective was to examine women's status (education, income, autonomy, participation in women groups and family size) in relation to their perception and participation in environmental conservation. Multi-stage sampling was done and 150 respondents interviewed. The variables levels of education, income, autonomy, group participation and family size were taken as independent variables while environmental conservation was a dependent variable, treated as an orderable discrete variable on a scale of 0 - 6. The measures of conservation taken into account were terracing, mulching, planting trees/conserving the indigenous trees, constructing water tanks, crop rotation/inter-cropping and use of energy conserving "jikos". Levels of income and education were the most critical factors. Autonomy, location of respondent, number of children, group participation, income and education explained69.2% of the change in environmental conservation. The study recommends improved socio-economic status especially increased income and education, specifically, environmental education to facilitate higher levels of women participation in environmental conservation .