Climate change deleterious for Murang’a County banana yields

The effects of climate change have hit many farmers in Kenya’s Murang’a County in the recent past; this has led to poor production and meager yields. For the past two rainy seasons, Murang’a has witnessed prolonged dry spells; it saw less than 70 percent of the rains it used to get in the short-rainy season.

Murang’a county meteorological director Paul Murage says the current season which is coming to end the county received less than 50 percent of rains. He stated that both the short and long rain seasons have been characterized by unpredictable dry weather greatly affecting crops: “With the effects of climate change, farmers need to adopt climate smart technologies, innovation and practices in growing crops.”

Farmers could opt for irrigation but due to the climate change, low water levels in the majority of rivers in the county have been witnessed.

Managing director Saba Saba agribusiness farmers’ cooperative society Hellen Wanjugu: “On a good month we would receive over 30 tons of raw bananas from the members of the cooperative. However, since the rains failed and weather patterns changed, the production has gone down to less than 15 tons in a month.”

Source: kenyanews.go.ke