West Pokot County

Being the largest town in Kapenguria, West Pokot covers a total area of 8,418. Km2 with a population of 512,690 (census 2009).The study area lies between 1500 m and 2100 m above sea level, coordinates 01.23330N 035.11670E and is characterized by a bimodal type of rainfall with the long rains between April and August and short rains between October and February. The area is characterized by great variations in temperature with 30 ̊ C in the lowlands and 15 ̊ C in the highlands. It’s one of the three counties spanned by Cherengany hills and thus adversely contributed to the 174.3 ha of the deforested area. Communities in West Pokot County practice agro-pastoralism, combining mixed farming with nomadic pastoralism.