External Evaluation Panel Report 2006: Sustainable Management of Rural Watersheds (SUMAWA) Project: Biophysical, Livestock and Human Interactions in the Njoro River Watershed

The Sustainable Management of Watersheds Project (SUMAWA) is a multi-disciplinary research effort focusing on the River Njoro watershed in Kenya, involving collaboration between scientists based in two Kenyan universities (Egerton and Moi), three US universities (University of Wyoming, University of California–Davis, and Utah State), and two Kenyan government institutions (Department of Fisheries and Kenya Wildlife Service). SUMAWA aims to improve understanding of the biophysical and human factors governing watershed health in the River Njoro catchment area and, through a range of outreach and stakeholder engagement activities based on applying research insights in practice, to improve watershed health and contribute to livelihood security and sustainability for those living in the watershed. Lessons from the project are of wider potential relevance for watershed management elsewhere in Kenya and the east Africa region.