PhD thesis Title Page Final _Richard Juma - Victoria University ...

Acknowledgement
This work was carried out in the School of Geography, Environment and
Earth Sciences of Victoria University of Wellington. However, it would
never have been completed without the support and assistance of many
dedicated individuals and some organisations both inside and outside the
School, not all of whom can be mentioned here.
First of all, I would like to acknowledge my deepest sense of both personal
and professional gratitude to my primary supervisor, Professor John
Overton, who has supervised this PhD thesis with invaluable enthusiasm.
His valuable advice and insightful criticism over the whole thesis have
been of the utmost significance in the course of my study. Similarly,
without his encouragement, I would have found it very difficult to move
forward. My thanks are due also for his countless readings of the
manuscript over and again over the nights and weekends during the past
three years. I am also incredibly appreciative to my co-supervisor,
Associate Professor John McKinnon, for inspiration and professional
guidance both while in the field and in the writing process. I have learnt
more from him than can ever be contained in this thesis. Special thanks to
Professor Vijay Naidu, and Dr. Diane O’Rourke without whom I would
never have begun this project. It was their encouragement that originally
inspired me to undertake scientific research.
This research has been funded by NZAID. I am deeply grateful for their
generous support. I acknowledge my organization Jomo Kenyatta
University which gave me study leave to undertake this research.
I would like to thank the Turkana pastoralists of Morulem and Lokichar
villages in the Turkana District. Despite the fact that they make a living
under extreme circumstances, where drought, famine, and lack of
v