LETTERS: County has borne the brunt of global warming

Not long ago, Nyeri County was known for its serene environment, friendly weather and natural abundances that made it unique and loveable. Not anymore.

Besides being located between two major water towers of Mt Kenya and Aberdare ranges, continued encroachment and destruction of these two towers have negatively impacted on food production and water access in the region and beyond.

In the recent past, season’s patterns have deviated from normal whereby temporal and spatial rainfall distribution is no longer predictable.

Despite achieving expected seasonal rainfall volumes, rainy days have been reducing compared to dry days within rainfall calendar days thus impacting on crop production and field restoration.

The 2018 October-November-December (OND) rainfall season registered a false start. Farmers planted in a rush, only for the rains to subside a week later. Thus there was initial losses at the germination stage. In mid-November the rains resurfaced. But only a few farmers replanted.

Following the downpour of early December, production prospects improved until there was an abrupt cessation in the third week. Crop performance got affected while at critical stages of growth leading to a total failure.

About 60 percent of Kieni populace are currently food insecure owing to the season failure, a fourth in a row, and further compounded by a drop in livestock yields, income and loss in casual engagements. Presently, water abstraction is closely monitored and regulated following dwindling flows, effect of which is intensified water rationing and the prohibition on irrigation activities.

Currently, households depend on markets for food supplies most of which come from the North Rift for maize and have greatly stabilised commodity prices in the region. Over-reliance on markets for food supplies will have a spiral effect on other households’ projects.

Effects of global warming are more pronounced by the reduction in glacier cover atop Mount Kenya peaks. Glacier has been critical in recharging rivers originating from the mountain. Indeed, the bare rock that is the Mt. Kenya peak today is a contrast to the snow covering of yesteryears. Environmental degradation and destruction of the region’s water catchments have a compounding effect on their yields.

If rivers run out of flows at the primary stages then environment, ecosystem, and economy ramifications will be felt more downstream.

In the past, similar scenarios degenerated into water-related conflicts with downstream communities moving upstream purposely to break intakes and release more flows downstream.

Prevalence of drought, frostbites, livestock disease outbreaks, pest infestation, invasive weeds like Notonea Petrea and others are among the consequences of climate change.

Escaping from harsh weather conditions is certain in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (Asals) as communities seek for alternate fallback plans to mitigate vagaries of weather conditions to self and livelihoods.

In the process, there are undesirable effects namely resource overuse, resource-based conflict, disease outbreaks, child labour, environmental degradation and pollution.

For sustainable long-term measures to be achieved, there is a need to capitalise on multi-sectoral adaptive mechanisms in resilience building to shield communities from the effects of climate change.