Below normal rainfall is expected in most parts of Nyandarua County in the coming short rains season, with the Meteorological Department warning of a looming food and fodder crisis.
County Director of Meteorological Services, Kainga Mutembei, while noting that the October -November- December rains season will have depressed rains below the season’s past average, called on farmers to adopt moisture conversation measures to sustain their crops.
“Most parts of the county are likely to have late onset from the fourth week of October and early cessation of the rains in the third week of December.
“The highlands parts of Kinangop, Kipipiri and Tumaini, will experience occasional rainfall, while the lowlands of Ol Kalou, Oljororok and Ndaragwa, will receive below average precipitation,” he noted in an advisory to the residents.
Kainga noted that the peak of the rains will be in November, cautioning that the rains will be poorly distributed both in time and space
“Farmers are advised to liaise with the agricultural officers on drought resistant and fast maturing crops, that can be harvested before the rains cease,” urged Kainga, cautioning that food security situation was going to be dire, due to poor harvest.
The County has in the recent past experienced erratic weather conditions that caused a poor harvest on the long rain season that ended in July, with the heavy downpour experienced in August and early September, sending many back to their farms.
“The rains have given us a chance to revive our farms and plant trees in a bid to improve the tree cover. Fruit trees are selling more than the commercial trees as changes in climatic conditions here are now favouring fruits such as mangoes, passion fruits and avocados, which could hardly survive the cold,” noted Fred Maina , a fruit trees trader at Ndunduri Trading Centre.
By Anne Sabuni
