Kenya’s Farmers Battle Floods as Rains Turn Destructive

For generations, Kenya’s farmers have danced with the rhythm of the rains —planting seeds when skies darken and celebrating harvests under sunny skies. But climate chaos is rewriting this ancient script, turning life-giving downpours into destructive floods that threaten food security and livelihoods.

When Blessings Become a Curse

This season’s relentless rains have transformed fields into lakes, drowning maize and beans—staples for millions. 'We prayed for rain, but now we’re begging it to stop,' says Mercy Wambui, a third-generation farmer in Kirinyaga. Her story mirrors thousands across the East African nation, where 98% of agriculture relies on rainfall.

Climate Whiplash Hits Hard

Scientists point to warmer Indian Ocean temperatures turbocharging rain cycles . The result? Back-to-back extreme weather events that leave crops no time to recover—like a real-life version of Netflix’s Black Mirror plot twists, but with higher stakes.

The crisis extends beyond farms: disrupted transport networks are causing urban food prices to spike , while waterborne diseases surge in flood-affected areas.

Innovation vs. Tradition

Young agri-tech entrepreneurs are stepping up with flood-resistant seed varieties and satellite-based weather apps . But as 62-year-old farmer Joseph Mwangi asks: 'How do you explain algorithms to someone who reads the sky?'

One thing’s clear: Kenya’s food future hangs in the balance as climate patterns rewrite the rules of farming.

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Erratic weather patterns upend traditional agriculture in Kenya

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