Erratic El Nino rains complicate food security situation in 2010

Kenya’s food security situation remains precarious as the country stares at a potential food crisis occasioned by poor rains during the 2009 long rains season, experts said.

The much anticipated El Nino rains came, not only late but lasted two to three weeks thus dimming expectations of an improved food situation.

Much of the El Nino rains came in the third week of December last year, and ended by early January in most areas before the maize had reached maturity stage.

In their food security outlook for 2010, experts at Egerton University backed Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development foresee a tight food purse this year while calling for Government intervention to cushion millions of families which might find themselves caught up in the food shortage.

Dr Mary Mathenge, Dr Lillian Kirimi, and Mr Francis Karin look at scenarios that may shape food security in the coming nine months.

In parts of North Rift, the El Nino rains arrived long after the farmers had lost the second crop, especially wheat.

In South Rift, and particularly the wheat and barley zones of Mau Narok, the rains arrived when the farmers were about to harvest their crops and made harvesting difficult.

This led to huge losses, estimated by some farmers at about Sh300 million.

Nyanza, Western, Central and North Eastern provinces also did not benefit much from the El Nino rains.

It was too much too late and instead led to destruction of crops especially in Central, Eastern and parts of Coast provinces.

Only parts of Eastern and Coast provinces — Kitui, Makueni and Taita districts — benefited to a large extent from the El Nino rains.

Beans and other early maturing crops have been harvested, but maize has been adversely affected by the dry spell.

Not much will be expected from districts such as Mwingi, parts of Machakos and Kibwezi.

Maize production from the long rains usually accounts for 85 per cent of the national production of about 34 million bags.

However, due to bad weather last year, this production is set to fall below that of 2008.