Soil Health and Livelihood Stability in Kenyan Highlands Pastoralist Herders: Sustainable Land Management Practices for Soil Health Improvement Assessment

Soil health is critical for sustainable livelihoods in pastoralist herders of Kenyan highlands, where soil degradation threatens food security and ecosystem stability. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews was employed to assess SLM impacts on soil quality indicators, biodiversity, and herders' economic status. Soil organic matter content increased by 20% in treated plots compared to controls, indicating significant improvements from SLM interventions. Herders reported a 15% increase in livestock productivity due to better grazing lands. Sustainable land management practices significantly enhanced soil health and improved herder livelihoods, providing robust evidence for policy recommendations aimed at fostering resilient highland pastoral systems. Promoting SLM among Kenyan highland pastoralists is recommended as a key strategy to combat soil degradation and promote sustainable food security. Soil Health, Sustainable Land Management, Livelihood Stability, Pastoralism, Kenyan Highlands The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.