Farmers in Kitui County have been warned to expect only 30 to 45 days of rainfall during the current March-April-May (MAM) rainy season, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department. The county’s department director, Daniel Mbithi, attributed the reduced rainfall duration to weak La Niña conditions and a neutral Indian Ocean Dipole.
Speaking on Saturday, Mbithi stated that while occasional rainfall is expected in early March, it will be followed by a prolonged dry spell. The onset of the rains is projected between March 25 and April 7, while cessation is expected between May 8 and 21. Farmers have been advised to prepare accordingly, as the distribution of rainfall is expected to be poor, with prolonged dry spells and isolated storms.
In response to these predictions, the meteorological department has urged farmers in the county to plant drought-tolerant maize and other resilient crops. Specifically, only farmers in the upper zone, which is expected to receive between 300mm and 427mm of rainfall, should consider planting maize.
The Kenya Meteorological Department had previously announced on March 18 that the MAM long rains had begun in some parts of the country, with other regions expected to receive rainfall soon. The onset of the rains is typically characterized by a wet spell with at least 20mm of rainfall over three consecutive days, followed by no prolonged dry spells lasting seven days or more within the next three weeks. In the northern parts of the country, rainfall accumulation of at least 10mm over three consecutive days is required for the onset to be officially recognized.
The department confirmed that the rains had started between March 10 and March 16 in the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, parts of the Rift Valley, Nairobi, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, the Southeastern Lowlands, and sections of Isiolo County. Increased rainfall was observed from March 3 to March 9, particularly in the Southeastern Lowlands and parts of Northeastern Kenya.
Farmers in Kitui are now urged to adjust their planting schedules and select crops wisely in order to mitigate potential losses due to the short and erratic rainy season.
