Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development

COURSES OFFERED

Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Community Development)

Master of Environmental Studies and Community Development

Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Studies and Community Development

Photo 1: Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti accompanying the Cabinet Minister of Environment in a tree planting campaign.

Photo 2: Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti giving a speech on Fostering enthusiasm among young people in Africa for a sustainable future in Las Palmas, Spain

My name is Elizabeth wanjiru Wathuti. I am a passionate environmentalist pursuing a Bachelor degree in Environmental Studies and Community Development. I have made major milestones through the exposure gained and lessons learnt from this course. I was declared the fourth recipient of Wangari Maathai Scholarship award in 2016 due to my outstanding passion and commitment to environmental conservation. This award was initiated by The Greenbelt Movement, Kenya Community Development Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

I also won the National Mazingira Challenge 2016 awards as the public speaker of the year where I gave a speech on the role of youths in combating climate change. My environmental blog - www.lizmazingira.com was recently declared the environment blog of the year 2018 during the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) awards. In May 2018, I attended the 12th International Conference on Sustainable Regions in Las Palmas, Gran-canaria, Spain where I gave a speech on "Fostering Enthusiasm Among Young People in Africa for a Sustainable Future.

I am currently running an initiative called Green Generation Initiative (GGI_Kenya) through which I nurture more young environmental enthusiasts through conducting environmental education sessions and adopt-a-tree campaign in high schools and primary schools. Environmental studies and community development is a course I would encourage students to take very seriously as it impacts one with skills, knowledge, exposure and the capacity to tap into the many social, economic and environmental opportunities out there.

Collaborations

In January 2018, an MOU between the Department of Environmental Studies and Community (Kenyatta University) and the Department of Geography (Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s Canada was signed.

In December 2016, an MOU between the Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development and the School of Natural Resources and Environment of University of Michigan, USA was approved by the University management

Borderless for Higher Education (BHER) project in Dadaab Refugee Camp: The department is involved in the coordination of the proposed degree programme in Community Development and Extension with York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Kenyatta University – Cologne University Academic/Research Link

Since 2014 Kenyatta University’s School of Environmental Studies (SES) is collaborating with the University of Cologne, Germany (Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology and Master program ‘Culture and Environment in Africa’) in the following: joint research, staff career development (Doctoral and Post-doctoral fellowships), inter-university staff exchange, and students’ academic exchange, post-graduate scholarship and research.

Recent Conferences

• Dr Joseph K Muriithi - On 8th-9th March 2018, Dr Joseph K Muriithi attended a workshop organized by the Kenya Biosafety Authority on “Socio-economic Considerations in Risk Assessment in GMOs” at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies, Nairobi
  Between 3rd and 6th April Dr Joseph K Kurauka attended
• 22nd –23rd February 2017: Regional Livestock Trade Stakeholders’ Workshop–Eastern Africa. Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya 2 nd -3 rd February 2017: DAFNE Zambezi River Basin Stakeholders’Workshop, Lusaka,. Hotel Cresta Golfview, Lusaka, Zambia.
• Dr. Peter Wangai - Actors in Sustainable Development Goals (Bonn Germany, March 2017)
• The International Society for Ecological Modelling Global Conference, Machakos 2016: Title of presentation, Effects of human settlement on land use and land cover in Machakos County, Kenya.
• Dr. Peter Wangai - Terrorism and religious radicalization (Lingen Germany, June 2016).
• Dr. Peter Wangai and others - Identity in the globalized world (Bonn Germany, April 2016)
• 2 nd – 4 thAugust, 2016: Rapporteur for Africa LEAD-DAI for the USAID Partnership for Resilience and Economic Growth. Learning Event at Windsor Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya.
• 9 th -11thNovember 2015: Keynote speaker on Day 1 and delivered a “biophysical scientific overview of East Africa’s Great Lakes” at a workshop on the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus workshop at Michigan State University. The workshop titled, “Food, Energy, Water and Abundance: Improving Cross-Border Governance and Protection of the Great Waters of the World,” and it will be held at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing, Michigan.USA.
• Dr. Peter Wangai - Ecosystem Services Partnership Conference (Stellenbosch South Africa, November 2015).
• Dr Joseph K Muriithi - September 21-25th 2015: Participated and presented a paper entitled, “socio-economic Impacts and Monitoring in Kenya’s two models (National parks and Game Reserves) of Protected areas, at a conference at the University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
• Dr. Peter Wangai - Summer School for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Peyresq France, September 2015)
• Dr. Peter Wangai - The role of professional in bringing change-“How can change be achieved?” (Tamale Ghana, August 2015)
• Dr. Peter Wangai - KAAD Water Group workshop (Karlsruhe University Germany, May 2015)
• Dr Joseph K Muriithi - October 26-30th 2015: Participated and presented a paper on “Capacity Building for Action Research in Kenya” at University of Michigan, African Studies Centers’ Partnership, Publication & Funding Workshop Agenda
• Dr. Peter Wangai - International Workshop on coastal ecosystem service and Land-Sea interface (Kiel Germany, March 2015)
• 27th -30th August 2015: Participated as an Expert at the Regional Consultative Workshop on Environmental Management for Aquaculture for Eastern Africa and the Great Lakes Region in Kampala. Uganda. Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA). Title of presentation: Environmental impact assessment in aquaculture: components and process, (Strategic EIA) including Site Selection and Carrying Capacity Estimation.
• 17th – 24th July 2015: Lead Consultant Facilitator by Century MFI, DFIDD/UKaid - Facilitate a community-based "Sensitization on Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Indigenous Chicken Systems and Needs Assessment“ workshop for partner indigenous chicken farmers and their value chain actors using materials developed-FICCF.
• 25th -26th June/3rd July 2015: Workshop Trainer for smallholder dairy farmers at Ngorika Dairy Producers, Nyandarua County: ClimateSmart Agriculture for the Finance Innovation for Climate Change Fund (FICCF) Programme on Strengthening Adaptation & Resilience to Climate Change in Kenya (StARCK+) | DFID (UKaid) Kenya.

DEPARTMENTAL STEWARSHIP

Dr. Robinson Ocharo, Department of Sociology, University of Nairobi

DEPARTMENTAL BOARD OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES COMMITTEE

• Dr. Eric Kioko (Chairman)

• Dr. Peter Wangai

• Dr. Mary Baaru

• Dr. Jane Mutinda

• Dr. Samuel Ochola

PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT & CURRICULUM REVIEW COMMITTEE

• Dr. Stephen Nyaga – (Chairman)

• Dr. Joseph Muriithi

• Dr. Dorcas Otieno

• Dr. Simon Mburu

• Mr. Peter Abwao

STRATEGIC PLAN, QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE

• Mr. Peter Abwao - (Coordinator)

• Dr. Peter Wangai

• Dr. Simon Mburu

• Ms. Dorcas Mukonyo (Departmental Secretary)

DEPARTMENTAL ACADEMIC ADVISORS COMMITTEE

• First Year- Dr. Peter Wangai

• Second Year- Dr. Stephen Chege

• Third Year- Dr. Mary Baaru

• Fourth Year- Dr. Joseph Muriithi

DEPARTMENTAL WELFARE COMMITTEE

• Dr. Mary Baaru – Chairperson

• Dr. Joseph Kurauka – Treasurer

• Dr. Stephen Chege – Secretary

• Dr. Jane Mutinda

DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH INNOVATION AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR

•   Dr.  Eric Kioko

DEPARTMENTAL TIMETABLING AND UNIT SCHEDULING COORDINATOR

•  Dr. Simon Mburu

DEPARTMENTAL FIELD STUDIES AND TRIPS COORDINATOR

• Dr. Stephen Chege

DEPARTMENTAL PRACTICUM/ATTACHMENT COORDINATOR

• Dr. Joseph Kurauka

TREE PLANTING AND ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR

• Dr. Joseph Kurauka

EXAMINATION COORDINATOR

•  Dr. Peter Wangai

Dr. Felix Lamech Mogambi Ming'ate
Dr. Samuel Ochola
Dr. Stephem. Chege
Dr. Joseph K. Kurauka
Dr. Joseph K. Muriithi
Dr. Eric Mutisya Kioko
Dr. Dorcas Beryl Otieno
Dr. Baaru Mary Wamuyu
Dr. Jane Wanza Mutinda
Dr. Stephen Njoka Nyaga
Dr. Peter Waweru Wangai
Dr. Simon Wainaina Mburu
Mr. Peter Abwao
Ms. Jacqueline Kariithi

Recent Publications

• Wangai, P. W., Burkhard, B., Kruse, M., Müller, F. (submitted). Quantifying and Mapping Land Use Changes and regulating Ecosystem Services in a data-scarce area in Kenya. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services and Management x (xx), xx-xx. Journal Ref. TBSM-2017-0027.
• Wangai, P. W., Burkhard, B., Kruse, M., Müller, F. (accepted) (2017). Contributing to the cultural ecosystem services and human wellbeing: a study application on indicators and linkages. Landscape Online xx, 1-25. DOI: 10.3097/ LO 2017xx.
• Wangai, P. W., Burkhard, B., Mueller, F. (2016). A review of studies of ecosystem service assessments in Africa. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment 5(2), 225-245.
• Müller, F., B. Burkhard, Y. Hou, M. Kruse, L. Ma & P. Wangai (2016): Indicators of Ecosystem Services. In: Potschin, M, R. Haines-Young, R. Fish & R.K. Turner (Eds.): Routledge Handbook of Ecosystem Services. Routledge, London: 157-170.
• Wangai, P., Muriithi, K. & Koenig, A. (2013). Drought related impacts on local people’s socioeconomic life and biodiversity conservation at Kuku Group Ranch, Southern Kenya. International Journal of Ecosystem 3(1): 1-6 DOI: 10.5923/j.ije.20130301.01.
• Baaru M.W. and Gachene., C.K.K (2014). Development and promotion of sustainable soil and water conservation technologies in semi arid areas of Kenya: the case of vegetative macro contour line (CTA and FARA, 2014. Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable Development: Contributions fro the 3rd Africa-Wide Women and Young Professionals in Science Competitions. Volume 4 Issue 3)
• Baaru M.W and Gachene C.K.K (2016). Community empowerment through participatory resource assessment at Kathekakai settlement scheme, Machakos County, Kenya. (International journal of Sociology and Anthropology (IJSA) Vol.8 (2) Pp. 15-22)
• Charles K.K. Gachene, Anne N. Karuma, and Mary W. Baaru (2015): Climate Change and Crop Yield in Sub-Saharan Africa. In: Sustainable Intensification to Advance Food Security and Enhance Climate Resilience in Africa, ISBN 978-3-319-0935 8, ISBN 978-3-319-09360-4 (eBook)
• Gachene CKK, Baaru MW, Gathaara V and Onwonga R (2015). Factors that Influence Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies at Kathekakai Location, Machakos County. In: Sustainable Land Management in Dry Lands of Kenya. ISBN 978 9966 1805 5 1
• Kioko, Eric Mutisya (in print). Culture and conservation: environmental stewardship in rapidly changing African environments, in: Mazingira Yetu, April 2017.
• Kioko, Eric Mutisya (in print). Conflict Resolution and Crime Surveillance in Kenya: Local Peace Committees and Nyumba Kumi, in: Africa Spectrum, 1/2017
• Kioko, Eric Mutisya (2016). Turning conflict into coexistence: cross-cutting ties and institutions in the agro-pastoral borderlands of Lake Naivasha basin, Kenya. PhD Thesis, Universität zu Köln. URL: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/7064
• Kioko, Eric Mutisya (2016). Forgotten peace in resource use. In: People and Land, a publication by the Resilience in East Africa Landscapes Research Group. ISBN: 978-0-9573771-5-8. www.real-project.eu
• Kioko, E. M. & Bollig, M. (2015). Cross-cutting Ties and Coexistence: Intermarriage, Land Rentals, and Changing Land Use Patterns among Maasai and Kikuyu of Maiella and Enoosupukia, Lake Naivasha Basin, Kenya. Rural Landscapes: Society, Environment, History, 2(1): 1, pp. 1-16, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.16993/rl.ad
• Kioko, E. M. (2015). Regional Varieties and “Ethnic” Registers of Sheng, In Nico Nassenstein and Andrea Hollington (eds.) Youth Languages Practices in Africa and Beyond. Mouton de Gruyter. Berlin, pp. 119-148.