Two-thirds of Kitui county is facing crop failure due to the depressed October-December short rains, the weatherman has said.
County director of meteorology Daniel Mbithi on Thursday said a large segment of the 1.14 million people face hunger and the government must find ways to help them.
Mbithi said it was time the government planned in advance and worked with NGOs on how to cushion residents against serious food scarcity.
“The current rains started late in October and our projection is that they were to end in mid-December. November is usually the peak of the rainy season but there was very little rain. It is worrying that there are areas where people are still waiting for the rains so that they can plant,” Mbithi.
“The areas where crops are likely to survive to maturity are Kitui Central, Kitui Rural, some areas of Mwingi West and Kitui South. In most of the areas, due to minimal rains, crops will wither as we do not expect any rains after the light and moderate rains that are expected this weekend.”
He said residents who planted beans and maize are unlikely to harvest especially in areas that have received little rains as they are likely to wilt as the dry spell draws in. He said the situation spells doom for many residents.
“The only crops that are likely to grow to maturity with the depressed rains are millet, cowpeas, green grams and sorghum because they are drought tolerant. People who planted these crops will have something to harvest,” Mbithi said.
Edited by Henry Makori
