A farmer in a greenhouse. Technologies will help boost food production. Photo/DENISH OCHIENG
Nation Media Group
By SARAH OOKO
In Summary
- Climate models analysed in the report predict that increased rainfall patterns— due to climate change—will make certain arid and semi-arid areas like Kitui, Samburu and Isiolo counties suitable for maize production in Kenya. Policymakers have been urged to encourage people to cultivate maize in those areas in future.
- To adapt to frequent changes in weather patterns, farmers have been urged to work with meteorological department to know when rains are expected so as to adjust their planting seasons accordingly.
- He also urges farmers to continuously harvest rain water for use on plants during dry seasons
Kenya’s dependence on rain-fed agriculture, that
accounts for about a quarter of the GDP, has come under intense debate
in the wake of relentless climate change.
For years now, Kenyan farmers have endured adverse effects of climate change like massive floods that destroy crops and extremely hot conditions that kill livestock.
Worse still, majority of these farmers are poor. They lack the finances and capacity to adapt to climate ‘shocks’. Any catastrophe hits them hard, pushing them further down the economic ladder.
The future of the agriculture sector— a major income source for most households— appears bleak.
However, all is not lost though. A new report dubbed East African Agriculture and Climate Change —prepared by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (Asareca) notes that farmers in Kenya can potentially thrive in climate change.
“This can only happen if the government puts in place appropriate policies and invests heavily in agricultural research and development, that will enable farmers adapt to climate change impacts,” said Michael Waithaka, a co-author of the report who leads the policy analysis and advocacy programme at Asareca.
“This is the time to start planning for interventions so that we are not caught off guard with climate changes in future,” he said.
The report emphasises the significance of agriculture on Kenya’s economy. Currently, agriculture accounts for about 26 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and over 60 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings. The sector also provides some 80 per cent of all employment opportunities in the country.
“If things remain constant and we don’t strengthen
the capacity of farmers to adapt to climate change, we are going to see
a downward trend in economic growth,” said Dr Waithaka.
The report notes that cushioning agriculture against negative effects of climate change could help mitigate malnutrition—a major cause of deaths among children below the age of five years in Kenya. A booming agriculture sector would produce sufficient food, with appropriate nutrients, which are central to a child’s well-being.
Severe malnourished children—currently at 35 per cent in Kenya—have a compromised immunity and easily succumb to diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria, yet they are future drivers of economic development.
According to the report, Kenya’s population is expected to double by 2050. “This coupled with the threat of climate change poses a double tragedy to us. We will struggle to remain food secure with increasing numbers to feed,” said James Kinyangi, the East Africa Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Regional Programme Leader at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
He notes that as the population increases, people
are going to subdivide rural land—where most farming takes place— for
construction of houses. “This will mean less land for agriculture
leading to less food.”
No comments :
Post a Comment