A socio economic assessment of the potential of ecotourism in Lambwe valley area (LVA)- Homa-Bay District,Kenya.

Abstract

This thesis reports the results of a study conducted to assess the economic potential of ecotourism development and the demand for nature conservation and recreation among the local people in Lambwe Valley Area (LV A), Kenya with special attention to Ruma National Park. The study objectives were to assess the economic potential of ecotourism in LVA; to investigate the socio economic constraints to nature conservation among the local people; to determine whether there is a relationship between local people's interest towards ecotourism development and the socioeconomic factors: age, literacy level, sex, benefits and willingness to pay to conserve LVA; and to seek possible approaches to overcoming obstacles to LVA's development as an ecotourism venue. A multi stage sampling technique with a constant sampling fraction of 30% was used. A total of 405 household heads were interviewed using questionnaires which formed a basis for the collection of primary and secondary data. Socio economic factors and physical attributes affecting ecotourism development were also assessed. An econometric multi-equation model describing people's interest towards ecotourism development was fitted to determine whether there were direct factors influencing people's readiness to support ecotourism development in LVA. Observations on physical attributes that can attract ecotourists, tools like Benefit Cost analysis (BCA) and the Chi Square analysis were also used to estimate the Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) and significance of parameters assessed. Data on physical, cultural and aesthetic features showed that LVA has high economic potential as an ecotourist resort. The observations on attractive physical attributes of LVA rated 82.6% on the study's assessment 12% discount rate) yielded a benefit-cost over Ksh 3 million between 1985-1994. that interests in ecotourism socio- economic factors scale set by the researcher. The BCA (at ratio of 1.156 and a Net Present Value of Model OLS and Chi square analyses showed development in LVA were significantly (age, literacy level, sex, benefits investigated. The estimated LV A's annual recreation dependent on the and conservation costs) benefits stood at about Ksh 2.9 million whereas the marginal willingness to pay for a change in amenity services of the site was over Ksh 3,000 per year. The major constraints to ecotourism game, water shortage, development disease prevalence in the area were crop damages by and threat to life. However 73% of the households were seen to benefit from the park and the forests. Measures taken by the sorounding communities against game intrusion include fencing and guarding. Based on the data it was concluded Recommendations that LV A is economically included: activities;initiation of controlled fencing of the park; inclusion and rational exploitation forest and the park; and formation viable as an ecotourism of women site. in some of forest products from the of pressure groups against degradation of land.