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Inescapable Effects of Climate Change Jeopardize Livelihoods Across East
Africa

Rael Ombuor

   TRANS NZOIA, KENYA - As the Earth heats up, weather and climate
   patterns are changing dramatically around the globe. Africa felt the
   effects of those changes in 2019, experiencing cyclones, droughts and
   unstoppable rains that jeopardized livelihoods.

   Sixty-two-year-old David Kemboi sorts out dry maize stalks on his
   21-hectare farm in Kenya's Trans Nzoia County.

   He turns the stalks of what could have been a bountiful harvest into
   silage-- for feeding his 15 herd of cattle.

   He said the heavy rains that have rocked different parts of Eastern
   Africa cause the crops to fail.

   "At the time of growing crops we expected optimum yields, we had
   invested heavily on all the crops that we grew, but unfortunately, we
   were not able to get a good harvest out of all that, which means a lot
   of money was just thrown to the dogs. We didn't get anything out of
   that and we do not expect to get anything elsewhere other than from
   this land because we depend on rain-fed agriculture," he said.

   Trans Nzoia county where Kemboi settled after retirement in 2017 is
   known for growing predominantly maize, Kenya's staple food.

   Apart from the excessive rain, farmers in the area have faced pests and
   disease challenges.

   "Every time we go to harvest the maize, there is rain and when it gets
   wet, it gets spoiled very quickly. That one has had adverse effects in
   growing of maize and also in beans. Beans, the first crop we didn't
   have any harvest at all. It all went bad because of these heavy rains,"
   said Kemboi.

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