| dc.description.abstract | Stone quarrying has remained a vital economic activity, providing essential raw materials
for infrastructure development. However, its environmental and socio-economic
implications have raised growing concerns, especially in developing countries. Quarrying
activities have had both positive and negative effects on the biophysical environment and
the livelihoods of nearby communities. While the industry created employment
opportunities, improved local incomes, and contributed to infrastructure development, it
also resulted in significant environmental degradation, including loss of biodiversity, dust
and water pollution, lowering of the water table, soil erosion, land deformation, and
increased health risks such as respiratory ailments and accidents. In Kenya, the rapid
expansion of quarrying operations, driven by the high demand for building materials,
intensified these challenges. Although several studies have examined the impacts on air
and water quality in Kajiado County, few have comprehensively assessed the changes in
vegetation cover and socio-economic effects in pastoral regions, such as Kajiado East
Sub-County. This gap highlighted the need for a detailed investigation into the
relationship between quarrying operations, environmental outcomes, and community
welfare. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of quarrying activities on the
biophysical environment and socio-economic well-being of communities in Kajiado East
Sub-County, and to propose sustainable management approaches. Specifically, the study
sought to assess the impacts of stone quarrying on the biophysical environment,
investigate its effects on local employment and livelihoods, appraise the existing policy,
legal, and institutional frameworks governing quarrying operations, and develop a
sustainable quarry management model applicable to Kajiado County and Kenya. A
mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating a case study, descriptive
survey, and cross-sectional analysis. Data were collected through stratified and simple
random sampling of 500 respondents using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews,
focus group discussions, direct field observations, and analysis of Landsat and Sentinel
satellite imagery spanning 1993 to 2023. Land-use and land-cover changes were analyzed
using ArcGIS, while SPSS 29 facilitated statistical analysis. The study revealed that
quarrying significantly contributed to land degradation, reduced vegetation cover, altered
topography, and polluted both surface and groundwater resources. Socio-economically,
quarrying improved employment opportunities and household incomes but also displaced
communities, reduced agricultural land, triggered conflicts, and increased health hazards.
Chi-square tests confirmed significant associations between quarrying intensity and both
environmental quality and socio-economic welfare. Respondents identified weak
regulatory enforcement, poor inter-agency coordination, and political interference as
significant obstacles to effective quarry management. The study recommended
strengthening environmental enforcement units, integrating phased land rehabilitation
into quarry licensing, establishing community benefit-sharing frameworks, and
promoting multi-stakeholder quarry management committees to achieve balanced and
sustainable development. | en_US |
