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ELECTRIFICATION AS DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AT MT. KASIGAU, KENYA

Myers, Christopher, Myers
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1497452074201553

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Arts, Miami University, Geography.
Geographic research at the intersection between development critiques and political ecology questions a potential disconnect between extra-local development initiatives and local livelihoods. Kenya, under its Vision 2030 for sustainable development, is expanding the national electric grid to many rural areas, potentially introducing electricity as a process and effect on local livelihoods. I assess the introduction of electricity to Mt. Kasigau, a rural area in southeast Kenya, focusing on how the development intervention is perceived and acted upon by local communities and individual residents. Working with community residents in three villages the research employed a mixed methods approach, including participatory GIS (PGIS) to map and analyze the electric grid, and semi-structured interviews to gain local perspectives on the processes of community and household-level electrification. The study mapped eight electrical transformers, 164 connected buildings and 11,607 meters of power lines, indicating about 18% serviced area and 38-71% service population among the three villages. Respondents highlight distinctions among availability, accessibility, and reliability for homes and in the community and distinctive contributions to diversification. Local perceptions on introduction of electricity are clearly positive at Mt. Kasigau and shows benefits to sustainable livelihoods.
Kimberly Medley, Dr. (Advisor)
Ian Yeboah, Dr. (Committee Member)
John Maingi, Dr. (Committee Member)
65 p.
Energy; Geographic Information Science; Geography; Political Science
Political Ecology, Development, Livelihoods, Electrification, Electricity, Energy, Kenya, Africa, GIS, PGIS, Participatory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Myers, Myers, C. (2017). ELECTRIFICATION AS DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AT MT. KASIGAU, KENYA [Master's thesis, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1497452074201553

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Myers, Myers, Christopher. ELECTRIFICATION AS DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AT MT. KASIGAU, KENYA. 2017. Miami University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1497452074201553.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Myers, Myers, Christopher. "ELECTRIFICATION AS DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AT MT. KASIGAU, KENYA." Master's thesis, Miami University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1497452074201553

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1497452074201553
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© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.