The Machakos Director of Meteorological services, Dominic Kyalo, has alerted farmers and the general public to prepare and plan early for the October, November and December (OND) short rains, which are predicted to be below normal and poorly distributed.
Kyalo said that the onset of the short rains in Machakos will be between November 17 to 24 and the amount of rainfall will be between 250 -300mm and cessation is likely to be between December 15 -22.
In this regard, the length of the OND rainfalls will last between 29-36 days cautioning farmers to be well prepared for a possible drought season.
He was speaking during a meeting to develop a Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP), with various County stakeholders in Machakos town, where he advised farmers to gear up implementing drought resistant practices and start water harvesting, plant appropriate crops such as cassavas, cowpeas and sweet potatoes to be able to survive the oncoming drought
Kyalo added that the OND short rains season will affect the family up to county level and further called for coordinated efforts across all levels to build resilience and create drought management plans so as to ensure a comprehensive response to the oncoming drought season.
“There is going to be a dry spell if you have a chance to harvest water that can be used for farming and feeding animals this is the time. The extension officers will guide the farmers accordingly on what to do and the disaster preparedness should be from the family to county level to manage water and minimize impacts,” said Kyalo.
County Drought Coordinator for National Drought Management Authority, Alice Munyao, added that according to the weather forecast reported, they are foreseeing drought and will likely move to an alert phase where they will have to activate their County Drought Contingency plan.
She disclosed that the one month of rainfall is going to cast a negative impact on the agricultural, water and livestock sector since crops will not grow to maturity especially maize and advised farmers to focus on drought tolerant crops and do drain planting as well as early acquisition of farm inputs.
The Drought coordinator further called upon farmers to implement rain water harvesting techniques such as roof top collection and surface runoff harvesting from the ground that can be used during the coming dry season.
Munyao highlighted on the foreseen food insecurity and noted that they will carry out a food security assessment so as to determine and ascertain the number of vulnerable families that need help as well as map out areas that will most likely be food insecure such as Kinanie, Yatta, Athiriver, Mwala and kola areas.
“When the time comes we shall convene a County steering group that will come up with a sectoral response plan to respond to the sectoral needs and to coordinate the implementation of the resource plan,” said Munyao.
Munyao noted that for livestock farmers it’s advisable for them to adopt fodder and pasture production while establishing nurseries for brachiaria and Napier grass and start timely destocking of livestock to have a manageable herd as the OND season is approaching.
70-year-old farmer, Jeremiah Katulu, from Katangi in Yatta, who also attended the PSP meeting added that he relies on the advice of the metrological department for his farming activities, since last season after following the weather forecast advisory, he managed to harvest several bags of maize and beans that has been sustaining his family.
Katulu believes in timely preparations and with the coming drought season he looks forward to early farm preparations and advises other farmers to consider planting drought tolerant crops while following up on the weather forecast advisory.
He called upon the County government to start issuing seeds early enough for dry planting so as to have a head start on the coming drought season and as a risk mitigation strategy.
By Anne Kangero
