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International Journal of Remote Sensing Applications (IJRSA) Volume 5, 2015 doi: 10.14355/ijrsa.2015.05.006
Mapping Khat (Miraa) by Remote Sensing in Meru County, Kenya Sabina N. Baariu¹, Galcano C. Mulaku*² Department of Geospatial and Space Technology, University of Nairobi, P.O. BOX 30197-00100 Nairobi, KENYA ¹sbaariu@yahoo.com; ²*gmulaku@yahoo.com Abstract Khat or miraa is a plant indigenous to Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, whose leaves and stems are consumed privately and socially as a stimulant; it is highly valued by its cultivators for the high incomes it brings them. However, studies by the World Health Organization, amongst others, have found that miraa is a mild addictive drug whose continued heavy consumption can result in adverse physical and mental health effects, and therefore whose production and marketing should be discouraged. Few, if any, studies have been done to accurately quantify miraa production in areas where it grows, yet this is an important statistic for informed decision making on the crop. This paper describes a study that has mapped, using remote sensing and GIS techniques, the miraa plantations of the Igembe region of Meru County in Kenya, which is a major source of khat globally. Supervised classification of Landsat 8 imagery was carried out, with overall classification accuracy and kappa statistic of 78% and 0.72 respectively obtained. It was found that over 70,000 hectares of miraa are planted in this region, representing a regional potential per capita income of USD 2345, very high by Kenyan standards. The paper concludes that miraa is a widely grown crop of high economic significance in this region in terms of income and employment creation, and that the region’s economy would be adversely affected if the marketing of miraa were to cease. Key words Khat; Miraa; Crop Mapping; Meru; Kenya
Introduction Miraa is the most commonly used name in Kenya for the stimulant leaves and stems of khat (Catha edulis), a flowering evergreen plant indigenous to much of Africa, and cultivated – either in the form of a tree or shrub – throughout East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Carrier, 2007).Miraagrows intensively in parts of Kenya and Ethiopia and is consumed locally, but also exported to global markets, where it is consumed in large quantities, especially by Somalis and Yemenis. Miraa consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement, similar to that produced by strong coffee; however continued heavy consumption may produce more serious effects such as constipation, insomnia and depression. Miraa is highly valued for its economic benefits to its producersas well as its ability to increase alertness and sociability for its consumers. In the communities where it grows or is consumed, miraa chewing is a long and venerable social tradition.Conversely, miraa consumption is believed to contribute towards many health and social problems such as insomnia, psychosis, and economic drain on individuals and families leading to family conflicts and break ups. Despite the economic benefits ofkhat to the cultivating communities, it is still viewed with suspicion in many parts of the world. It is this suspicion that has been seen by the World Health Organization (WHO) who has studied the chemistry of miraa since 1933, eventually declaring it to be a mild addictive drug in 1980 (WHO, 2014). This stand of WHO has seen miraa declared as an illegal substance in some countries (e.g. most of the European Union, the USA, Canada and China) and targeted by anti-drug organizations. However, miraa is legal in the regions where it is cultivated (e.g. Kenya and Ethiopia) or heavily consumed (e.g. Somalia and Yemen) and it is even a protected plant in South Africa.Those who argue against the banning of miraa point to the fact that it is often the economic mainstay of its cultivators and it is far less addictive than alcohol and tobacco, both of which remain legal in most countries of the world. 54