Kenya Launches ‘Climate Atlas’

Droughts in Kenya have significant effects on the people, environment, and economy. (Wikimedia Commons)

In response to the extensive effects of climate change, Kenya announced that it will launch a “Climate Atlas” to predict future weather patterns to better prepare the agricultural sector. Recently, Kenya has faced numerous natural disasters, including droughts and floods that have severely impacted the farming industry. 

Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology developed the project that will begin in early 2020, providing weather predictions from 2050 to 2100, which it expects will prove to be extremely vital in the planning and production of crops.

The primary researcher, John Wesonga, said, "We are looking for data such as in which locations will we see the highest and lowest temperatures and rainfall, how high and low the temperatures and rainfall are likely to be, what time of year they will happen, and how long they will last."  Knowing where and when different areas will see higher or lower rainfall and temperatures will be crucial in agricultural planning. 

Irene Kooman from the Netherlands-based Wageningen University and Research supports the project, saying, “Investing in irrigation is useful if more droughts are predicted, but if the long-term prediction is that rainfall will increase, a different investment—such as greenhouses for tomato production—might be more sensible.” 

Just months ago, Kenya suffered an intense drought that inhibited food production and resulted in starvation conditions for more than a million people. Despite the fatalities and damage, the country has remained resilient. Entrepreneurs have developed agritech startups to supply farmers with digital information and help address the intense food shortage. The Climate Atlas is a similarly new, innovative approach to a growing issue.