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Yala Swamp, Kenya
Yala Swamp, the third largest of Kenya’s wetlands, is
situated on the deltaic sediments of the Nzoia and Yala
Rivers, at the point at which they enter the northeastern
corner of Lake Victoria. The wetlands cover an area of
17,500 ha and contain three freshwater lakes – Kanyaboli,
Sare and Namboyo. The vegetation consists of papyrus
(
Cyperus papyrus
), phragmites and typha, among others.
The Wetlands are of national importance as one of the
few habitats where the threatened sitatunga antelope
(
Tragelaphus spekeii
) is found in Kenya. The lakes contain
some critically endangered haplochromine fish species,
some of which are no longer found in Lake Victoria. The
area is also an important habitat for many birds (Lake
Victoria Basin Commission 2007).
There is a lot of farming in and around the wetlands.
The local communities harvest macrophytes for
handicraft, building and fuel. It is an important area
of grazing land and a source of water for livestock and
domestic use. Fishing is also an important economic
activity in the Swamp both for commercial and
subsistence purposes.
The major threats to the Wetlands are drainage for crop
cultivation, burning, water hyacinth infestation and
pollution as a result of siltation.
Nyadorera
Nzoia
Yala
Lake Victoria
Lake
Sare
Lake
Namboyo
Lake
Kanyaboli
KENYA
5 km
Copyright©2016GRID-Arendal ·Cartografare ilpresente/NievesLópez Izquierdo
Source:T. Siegenbeek van Heukelom, 2013, “Food as security. The controversy of foreign
agricultural investment in theYalaSwamp,Kenya”,PhD. Thesis, Centre for International
Security, University ofSydney.
Future farms area
Lake Kanyaboli
National Reserve
Remaining swamp
Original swamp
Irrigation scheme
Donated community land
Farms area
Yala wetlands
200 km
Wetlands are drained and converted to agricultural land
Figure 2.6: Land use changes around the YalaWetlands