Rain and Famine

The rains in Kisayani have finally come. After a few night-time drizzles which most Kenyans insist were not real rains, hard rain has arrived. Farmers and their whole families are now busily plowing their fields and planting seeds. A transformation from a dreary brown and grey landscape to a rich red and green has already emerged as if it too was greatly anticipating the coming rains.

Along with the budding trees and plants have also come the bugs, a lot of them. To preface, I just recently moved residences from my old place (appropriately titled ‘white house’) to the University of Nairobi Research Station where they have a large farm and rangeland for a variety of research purposes, including hosting people like myself and my fellow Kenyan researcher, Njoki. Despite the $2/night bargain at my last place, it couldn’t beat the student rate of $0.30/day or $9 a month for a 2 room and full-bathroom place where I am now just outside of the main town of Kisayani.

Within a few hours...

One of the only downsides, along with no longer having as many neighbour children around to play with, is my place is situated on the edge of some grasslands, where insects and birds are thriving. When the rains came, the dormant eggs that had been waiting patiently for water hatched and on my first night in my new place I was swarmed by a variety of flying insects. Almost unable to sleep the first night, I asked my neighbour if this was going to last the entire rainy season, which he answered “yes”. Thankfully he was wrong. Each of the first nights brought forth a different wave of insects, but a week later they have died down significantly.

Mangoes

But more importantly, the farmers are busy. During all my interviews with local people, nearly all of which are farmers, I ask the question of whether or not the climate (rainfall, wind, seasons) is changing. With the odd exception, they tell me there is not only less rain today, but a different rains. In this area of Kenya there are two rainy seasons, a long (March-May) and a short rain (November-December). Decades ago there were also two rains, although both were reliable enough to get two harvests if possible. Today, farmers have begun planting during the short season (now) since even the long rains have become unreliable with days or weeks without rain. I have also attained rainfall data from a local sisal plantation and from the university station which seems to confirm the shifting climate patterns.

An irrigation scheme

The effect of this changing rainfall has delivered consistent drought in the area stunting the growth and productivity of many crops. Thus, the area in which I am situated is now a recipient of food aid coming from the Red Cross and other organizations. The same is true for much of Kenya and in some areas--namely the northern areas--famine is reoccurring in what was recently in the news.

Just before I arrived, the famine in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia were grabbing headlines as the Horn of Africa was experiencing the lowest levels of rainfall is almost 60 years. Failure of the long rains denied farmers their expected crops (food and income) and nomadic herders the grasses for their animals deteriorating their ability to access food. The Dadaab refugee camp (designed for 90,000), just across the border into Kenya, grew in size to nearly half a million people. And millions were and still are announced at being at risk of starvation. However, today even I find it difficult to see any news on the famine despite it still prevailing severely today.

A recent sand dam put up in along the Kisayani river

While I am no expert on the causes or solutions to famine, natural disasters cannot solely be held accountable for the famine. Skyrocketing food prices, population growth, environmental degradation, political instability, lack of infrastructure, a less spoken about land-grab, and other human-caused factors all come into play. For example, the famine is worst in Somalia where the Islamic militant group al-Shabaab (which Kenya has recently declared war with) has long tried to prevent Western aid organization from delivering relief and development services.

With the arrival of the short (but more reliable) rains throughout East Africa, we hope that the current situation will be relieved. It is difficult to write about such a daunting issue ridden with statistics and so reoccurring, but it is reality. What brings me hope (and in another sense dismay) is that this famine and food insecurity is largely human-caused. Therefore, in a large part these things can be dealt with and improved. Projects in communities such as the one I am looking at is just one example. Above are pictures of water and irrigation projects that are aimed at improving living standards and increasing food security additional to the piped water in Kisayani. There are many projects like these being done, not just in the community where I reside but throughout Kenya and the world. They are examples of solutions and innovations some implemented by Westerners, some by locals, and some by the Kenyan government. 

To me it is also a reminder of the value of the Kisayani Water Project and the need for the water in the pipes. Despite being just a researcher, unable to assist in any physical sense, I feel a responsibility to the people here. It can be frustrating to be doing academic research under a hefty research grant, when in many ways I want to be helping in a more tangible way. It gives me motivation however, to do a thorough job, speak to the right people, give recommendations and ensure that my research is shared with the community with the purpose of a sustainable future for water resources and this project.

A view looking over Kisayani