Effects of drought on livelihoods

By Catherine Susan

Kyuso district is one of the drought prone districts in Kenya. It experiences drought almost   throughout the year and records minimum amount of rainfall. Residents expect low rainfall from the months of October to December. Little or none at all also falls in the month of April while the rest of the year is dry. This has led to problems associated with water shortage, food and death of livestock. It is very hard to have livestock survive in such an area.

The perennial drought in this region has made people to rely on relief food year in year out since crops do not do well. The few boreholes sunk by the residents have also dried up.   

Drought stricken land(Photo:Susan Munyaka/KCV)

This problem can only be mitigated by planting trees and reducing charcoal burning. Many drought resistant tree species can do well here. If measures are taken to introduce many tree varies around Kyuso the effects of drought on livelihoods can be reduced. 

                                                       

It is believed that increased population of trees will attract rainfall and therefore enable residents practice crop farming without any challenge. Irrigation is known to have produced a lot of food especially to farmers who live near water bodies. Hopefully, lives of many people in Kyuso will change if residents together with other partners will work towards plant many trees and discouraging deforestation.

Many people in the area have been rendered poor because of effects of climate change. However, if proper measures are taken Kyuso will begin to bask in its own self-made glory.