**Acknowledgements**

The authors wish to acknowledge financial and platform support provided by Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD) and supervisory support by department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT), University of Nairobi. In addition, we wish to thank Madam Rahab Nyururu, Water Resources Authority (WRA), Rumuruti who was the lead research assistant and coordinated field data collection. Finally, we express our gratitude to the community in Lake Ol Bolossat catchment for continued support during the study.
