The Kenyan environment is being degraded in a very fast rate and unless something is done, Kenya might end up being a desert. Some of the environmental issues that need urgent attention are desertification, soil erosion, deforestation, climate change and global warming, domestic pollution, industrial pollution and diminishing water quality. Poaching is also an issue regarding environmental degradation. Some of these factors can be attributed to poor agricultural practices and poor land management policies.
Due to industrial waste, agricultural chemicals such as herbicides, water resources are at a big threat. Another issue is water quality for instance invasion of Lake Victoria by water hyacinth which has lead to diminishing number of fish. Another form of environmental degradation is the encroachment of animal’s habitat by man which has lead to poaching of wild animals such as elephants and white rhinos. Deforestation is on the rise as people now inhabit forests to establish shelters while others cut trees as a source of fuel and others cut trees to create more land for cultivation. This has led to loss of water catchment areas especially in rift valley.
Forests in Kenya have been over exploited and it is estimated that less than 2% of land is under forests. This in turn aggravates soil erosion, flooding and is also a cause of loss of bio diversity. Endangered forests include Mau forest and Kakamega forests. The plight of Kenyan forests has touched the hearts of activists such as the late Wangari Maathai who mobilized Kenyans of all walks of life to plant at least 30million trees and out of this she won the Nobel Peace prize in the year 2004.

Impacts of environmental degradation
Loss of agricultural yields, this is true because land fertility is being lost at a very fast rate and this is evident in many parts of Kenya where land has become very unproductive and also because of limited water for growing crops and the little water is polluted to an extent that it can barely support plant growth. Soil pollution is also rampant for instance increase in salinity and nutrient depletion. Productivity of soil has been reduced by up to 50% due to environmental degradation.
Industrial wastes such as chemicals and gases have lead to increase in carbon credits and global warming which results to climate change.
How to avoid degradation
Environmental degradation affects everyone and in this view everyone has a role to play however small. The government should come up with a clear legal framework on how to avoid degradation such as rules governing where industries should be located and a massive campaign to plant trees. Everyone should understand that destroying the environment is the last thing man will do on this earth.