The Nakuru County Director of Meteorology (CDM), James Gichuki has urged farmers to plant fast maturing Crops because of the current erratic rainfall.
Gichuki noted that although the county was currently experiencing moderate rainfall in most parts, the amount of rain is likely to reduce in most parts of the county in the coming weeks.
He said there was need for farmers to change their mindsets and diversify into other crops that take relatively shorter periods of time and less amounts of rainfall to mature.
Gichuki urged stakeholders in the agricultural sector to enlighten farmers on the need for diversification, saying that it was more beneficial in the long term.
The weatherman noted that the country as a whole had experienced delays in the onset of the long rains due to other climatic conditions such as cyclones that were experienced in the region.
Gichuki was speaking on Tuesday during a Disaster Management Committee meeting chaired by the County Commissioner (CC), Erastus Mbui.
Mbui called on stakeholders to identify areas that may be prone to disasters with a view to enabling the government put in place corrective measures.
He stressed the need to enlighten farmers on the need to diversify in view of the projections of lower rainfall levels.
The CC urged Deputy County Commissioners to take up an active role in mobilising residents to intensify tree planting during this season.
He stressed the need for stakeholders to actively engage in rehabilitation of the Mau forest which he noted had been seriously degraded leaving it almost bare.
The CCC further urged residents to make individual efforts to plant trees on their own farms as a step towards attaining reafforestation in the county.
By Jane Ngugi
