Determination of seasonal rainfall variability, onset and cessation in semi-arid Tharaka district, Kenya

Recha, Charles W.; Makokha, George L.; Traoré, Pierre C. Sibiry; Shisanya, C.A.; Lodoun, Tiganadaba; Sako, Aboubakar

doi:10.1007/s00704-011-0544-3

Cited by 65 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Ndaragwa has had a higher precipitation compared to Rumuruti and this could be due to its proximity to the Aberdare Ranges. Results rainfall trend are similar to the findings of [24] in the Sahel region, and [25] in Tharaka, Kenya, who established a return to normal rainfall pattern after a depressed rainfall pattern in the early 1980s.…”

Section: Climate and Agro-ecological Zonessupporting

confidence: 85%

Analysis of Temporal Drought Characteristic Using SPI Drought Index Based on Rainfall Data in Laikipia West Sub-County, Kenya

Karanja¹,

Ondimu²,

Recha³

2017

OALib

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Severe drought has affected Kenya in the past decades reducing crop yields leaving millions of people in dire need of food. Drought cycle in Kenya has reduced increasing drought frequency in the recent decades. This study assessed drought characteristics in Laikipia West sub-County which lies in a region classified as arid and semi arid. The specific objective of the study was to analyze seasonal and annual drought characteristics in Laikipia West subCounty between 1984 and 2014. The study adopted documentary review design in the data collection. Standard Precipitation Index was used during the data analysis process. The drought years identified in Laikipia West subCounty were : 1984, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2009. The seasonal drought events shows that for the period under study Laikipia West sub-County has never experience drought during the MAM and OND seasons in the same year. This explains the importance of seasonal climate forecast to crop farmers. The study also established that the average drought cycle in the study area is 3 years. The study recommends construction of mega water reservoirs which could collect water during the wet season to be utilized during the dry seasons. The study also recommends channeling of drought information through the government agencies at the beginning of every season.

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Section: Climate and Agro-ecological Zonessupporting

confidence: 85%

Analysis of Temporal Drought Characteristic Using SPI Drought Index Based on Rainfall Data in Laikipia West Sub-County, Kenya

Karanja¹,

Ondimu²,

Recha³

2017

OALib

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“…Under current climate change and variability, the onset of seasonal rainfall is uncertain for most years [76,[165][166][167]. Therefore, farmers cannot rely on the planting dates they previously used.…”

Section: Varying Sowing/planting Dates As a Measure To Counteract Raimentioning

confidence: 99%

Crop Upgrading Strategies and Modelling for Rainfed Cereals in a Semi-Arid Climate—A Review

Silungwe

Graef

Bellingrath-Kimura

et al. 2018

Water

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Spatiotemporal rainfall variability and low soil fertility are the primary crop production challenges facing poor farmers in semi-arid environments. However, there are few solutions for addressing these challenges. The literature provides several crop upgrading strategies (UPS) for improving crop yields, and biophysical models are used to simulate these strategies. However, the suitability of UPS is limited by systemization of their areas of application and the need to cope with the challenges faced by poor farmers. In this study, we reviewed 187 papers from peer-reviewed journals, conferences and reports that discuss UPS suitable for cereals and biophysical models used to assist in the selection of UPS in semi-arid areas. We found that four UPS were the most suitable, namely tied ridges, microdose fertilization, varying sowing dates, and field scattering. The DSSAT, APSIM and AquaCrop models adequately simulate these UPS. This work provides a systemization of crop UPS and models in semi-arid areas that can be applied by scientists and planners.

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“…During cold seasons, the area has an average temperature of 11 °C, while in the hot seasons, the temperature rises up to 25 °C. The area is largely semi-arid and receives a bimodal pattern of rainfall, which is <1000 mm per year [23]. The county residents are subsistence farmers with intensively managed crop-livestock enterprises and slope cultivation that cover up to 60 % [24].…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agrobiodiversity conservation enhances food security in subsistence-based farming systems of Eastern Kenya

et al. 2016

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Background: Globally, there is great concern about expanding agricultural activities due to their impact in the conservation of agrobiodiversity. African continent is known for its richness in biodiversity. In Kenya, there is a continuous unabated expansion of agriculture into natural habitats due to demographic and economic pressures posing a significant threat to biodiversity. Therefore, there is a need to study biodiversity loss and its regain through practices in agricultural landscapes. In this study, we assessed the status of agrobiodiversity and its contribution to food security in four agroecological zones of Eastern Kenya. Sixty households were sampled from two selected agroecological zones (upper and lower midland zones) in Embu and Tharaka-Nithi counties. Structured questionnaires and checklists were used to collect the data.Results: Thirty-nine crop species were identified dominated by vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals with relative densities of 28.8, 20.5, 18.3 and 8.3 %, respectively. Embu Lower Midland and Tharaka-Nithi Lower Midland zones had relatively higher crop species richness of 243 and 240, respectively, and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices (H′) of 3.403 and 3.377, respectively, compared with Embu Upper Midland and Tharaka-Nithi Upper Midland zones with species richness of 229 and 207, respectively, and H′ of 3.298 and 3.204, respectively. Conclusions:Households from lower midland zones with high crop diversity and richness were more food secure compared with those from the Upper Midland zones with low crop diversity and richness. These findings suggest that farm production systems with high agrobiodiversity contributed more toward food security among smallholder farmers in the selected sites.

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Determination of seasonal rainfall variability, onset and cessation in semi-arid Tharaka district, Kenya

Cited by 65 publications

References 40 publications

Analysis of Temporal Drought Characteristic Using SPI Drought Index Based on Rainfall Data in Laikipia West Sub-County, Kenya

Analysis of Temporal Drought Characteristic Using SPI Drought Index Based on Rainfall Data in Laikipia West Sub-County, Kenya

Crop Upgrading Strategies and Modelling for Rainfed Cereals in a Semi-Arid Climate—A Review

Agrobiodiversity conservation enhances food security in subsistence-based farming systems of Eastern Kenya

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