Farmers in Western Kenya have suffered a significant decline in harvest during this year's farming season. The region experienced prolonged dry spells and changing rainfall patterns, resulting in a 35 per cent drop in harvest. This development has raised concerns over food security and the need for farmers to adopt climate-smart farming practices to mitigate the effects of unpredictable weather conditions.
The Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gerald Musila stated that satellite-based assessments had established the scale of crop losses in the region. He warned that farmers could no longer depend entirely on predictable rainfall to guide their planting seasons. Musila urged farmers to adopt drought-tolerant seeds, improved soil management, and modern agricultural technologies to protect their crops against increasingly erratic weather conditions.
The EAGC, in partnership with Kibabii University, has established demonstration farms at the institution to expose farmers to practical techniques for sustaining production under changing climatic conditions. The demonstration plots feature climate-adapted seeds, conical gardens, intercropping, and improved soil preparation techniques that farmers can adopt to maximise production despite unreliable rainfall. These plots serve as a practical example for farmers to learn from and implement in their own farms.
The North Rift and Western Region Agribusiness Expo, scheduled for October 29 at Kibabii University, will bring together farmers, researchers, agribusinesses, and agricultural experts to showcase innovations aimed at improving productivity and strengthening food systems. The expo, themed 'Climate-Smart Technologies and Practices for Sustainable Food Systems,' will provide a platform for stakeholders to share knowledge and experiences on climate-smart agriculture.
The EAGC is working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other partners to use satellite data, drone imagery, and artificial intelligence to monitor weather patterns, assess drought impacts, and generate information to guide agricultural decisions. This technology helps establish the extent of crop losses and provides information that can guide farmers on planting, crop selection, and other farm management practices.
According to Musila, the decline in Western Kenya's harvest can be attributed to unfavourable weather conditions. However, better performance in Eastern and Lower Eastern regions has helped cushion the country against a more severe food crisis. The EAGC is promoting climate-smart agriculture through its network of agricultural hubs, which currently serve more than one million farmers in Kenya.
Kibabii University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Julius Maiyo stated that the partnership with EAGC has strengthened practical training and innovation among students pursuing agriculture-related courses. The university is also developing and promoting the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in agriculture, irrigation, and sugarcane farming. The agribusiness expo will showcase some of these innovations, including an artificial intelligence-based irrigation system that uses sensors to monitor soil moisture and trigger watering when levels fall below the required threshold.
Key points
- Western Kenya's harvest has dropped by 35% due to drought and changing rainfall patterns.
- The EAGC is promoting climate-smart agriculture through its network of agricultural hubs.
- The North Rift and Western Region Agribusiness Expo will showcase innovations aimed at improving productivity and strengthening food systems.
