KAKAMEGA FARMERS’ SENSITIZED ON EL NIÑO PREPAREDNESS

The County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture Mr. Mophat Mandela today closed a two-day participatory scenario planning workshop for farmers across Kakamega County, held at Friends Hotel Kajamega with a call for enhanced preparedness ahead of the expected heavy El Niño rains.

The workshop brought together farmers from all the sub-counties to equip them with knowledge and practical skills on assessing weather patterns, understanding seasonal forecasts and adopting appropriate measures to minimise the potential impact of heavy rains on agricultural production.

Participants were taken through key topics, including understanding the current El Niño status, evolution and potential implications, the county climate outlook, gender mainstreaming, and the role of indigenous and traditional knowledge in interpreting past March–April–May (MAM) and the upcoming October–November–December rainy seasons.

The training also involved sector-based group discussions on the implications of the rains seasonal outlook, preparedness measures and anticipatory action, culminating in group presentations and the development of sector-specific advisories.

Mr. Mandela urged farmers to implement the recommendations from the training and prepare their farms accordingly to minimise potential losses associated with heavy rainfall.

He encouraged farmers to open trenches and clear drainage channels and waterways within their farms to control runoff and reduce soil erosion and also called on them to plant fodder crops to support livestock feeding and strengthen farm structures to withstand strong winds that may accompany the rains.

Mr. Mandela emphasised the importance of following weather advisories and adopting appropriate farming practices to safeguard agricultural production and livestock during the rainy season.

Present were Mr. Anthony Mwangi the Deputy County Director of Livestock Production & the Livestock Lead, Dr. Simon Ndung’u, Officers from the meteorological department and farmers drawn from across Kakamega County.