Impact of climate change on Kenya.

The change in global temperatures has led to change in the local weather patterns; this has great impact on our environment. The change in weather patterns has resulted to the melting of ice in Mt.Kenya, in the last few decades the once snow capped mountain has reduced its
volume of ice. The Mau and the Aberdare forest have not being spared either due to human encroachment; the locals have resulted to cutting down the trees to make room for
their farming activities through slash and burn (deforestation). This has reduced the soil nutrients and soil erosion is the order of the day. Deforestation also releases CO₂ stored in trees and in the soil. Deforestation has caused the volume of rainfall to drastically reduce, these forest are the major water catchments area and source of domestic water for major towns in Kenya and also support various eco-systems. Water shortages and rationing is experienced in
all major towns in Kenya. When trees are cut down for development, agriculture, and other purposes, they not only can't use up the carbon dioxide in the air as they usually do, but they actually release it when they decay or are burned. Scientists predict that warming of the oceans and melting of glaciers due to global warming and climate change could cause sea levels to rise between six and 38 inches by the year 2100. Floods could become more frequent and more severe like the El Niño which we suffered in the late 90’s.

Kenya being an Agri-based economy where our Gross Domestic Product is greatly supported by agriculture would lose immensely due to climate change. Un- reliable amount of rainfall would result to low yields in our farms. Drought and famine would plague our country. Reduced rainfall in parts of the tropics and subtropics would wreak havoc on food production. According to Dr.Leakey He says “Our dry months are longer, they're hotter, the desiccation of the land in the dry weather is worse. We're seeing far later onset of the rains. And when the rains com e late – the two seasonal rains we have - the late rains are often very episodic and very heavy and you get massive losses of topsoil, massive flooding and then it's dry again. So I think there's a rougher climate generally.” Currently Kenya is facing a food crisis with a reported 10 million people are at risk of starvation if urgent measures are not taken by the Government. The effect that climate change would have to our Agricultural sector would be a big death blow to our economy.