ASSESSING DETERMINANTS OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN WATERSHED MANAGEMENT IN UPPER GUCHA, KISII COUNTY, KENYA.

Context and background Watershed natural resources are the major sources of community livelihoods and are also used as an indicator of socioeconomic development thus they need to be conserved for sustainable productivity. Community participation and stakeholders involvement is significant in controlling degradation of this valuable natural resources. A knowledge gap therefore exist on what factors influence their participation in watershed management programs and activities. Goals and objective Several factors that influences community participation have been studied and have been found to vary from one watershed to another. Hence the purpose of this study was to assess the factors influencing community participation in watershed management in upper gucha watershed, Kisii County, Kenya. Methodology The methodologies used include mapping and delineating the boundaries of the watershed using Google Earth satellite images and digitizing using ArcGis software version 10.5. Descriptive survey design and a sample size of 354 household heads was utilized. Survey method was used to collect data via questionnaires. Mean, frequency, and weighted average were used to analyze data. Pie charts, bar graphs and tables were method used to present data. Results The results established that factors such as extension services, watershed management groups, awareness, training, and derived benefits positively influenced community participation. In contrast, cultural practices, attitudes, and farm size did not have a significant impact. The study recommended implementing policies that encourage stakeholder’s collaboration and incorporating economic benefits into conservation programs, in order to increase community participation and manage watersheds effectively.