The Kenya Meteorological Department under the State Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has been challenged to prioritize sharing meteorological weather patterns to farmers to assist them to plan for their farming activities.
Various leaders who spoke during the World Meteorological Day held at Meteorological centre in Kericho Town called for accurate, reliable and timely weather forecast updates to be shared online regularly to farmers so as to enable them to carry on with timely planting and harvesting of their crops.
The leaders who included the Kericho Women Rep Beatrice Kemei, Emurua Dikir MP Johanna Ng’eno and Ainamoi Legislator Benjamin Langat urged the Meteorological Department to partner with media outlets by sharing the meteorological data to Kenyans to guide their farming undertakings among other activities that weather can have an impact on.
The Legislators noted that meteorological department in Kenya was advanced in technology to monitor the weather patterns and be able to inform Kenyans and policy makers to assist in planning their activities so as to stem losses of lives and farm production during adverse weather conditions like El-nino and famine which may also hinder transport and communication among other things.
Speaking during the event, the Principal Secretary (PS) State Department for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Eng. Festus Ng’eno who was the chief guest at the function said the weather reports by the Kenya Meteorological department was useful in providing expected weather and also informing the public of the impact of expected weather.
“The government is progressively working to reform the Kenya Meteorological Department to be more responsive to the needs and expectations of Kenyans in guiding their operations,” said Eng. Ngeno
“Weather forecasts are a fundamental element to the country, especially to farmers who rely on rain water as a source of water to their crops,” said Mp Ng’eno.
The PS also urged Kenyans to continue growing trees towards the national aspiration of planting 15 billion trees in 10 years to alleviate the negative effects of climate change being realized.
The Director, KMD Dr. David Gikungu said Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) was established 70 years ago with the initial purpose of providing meteorological data and information and over the years the science of meteorology has evolved and become more sophisticated in response to the demands for information and services which have become increasingly complex and advanced.
Dr. Gikungu said accurate weather observation dramatically improves weather information and forecasts, which in turn promotes and encourages productivity in agriculture and associated agri-business, industry and research.
“KMD provides weather services for industry and other government departments that shed new light on air quality issues. These services include provision of meteorological data for pollutant dispersion model studies, forecasting pollutant concentrations, environmental impact assessments, policy support and emergency planning,” Dr Gikungu added.
The Kericho County Commissioner Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo who spoke at the function, underscored the importance of environmental conservation and ecosystem issues calling on parents and teachers to inculcate the culture of growing trees and protecting the environment to their children early in life for their sustainability.
The PS led members of public in planting 3000 tree seedlings at the Meteorological Centre in Kericho town to mark World Meteorological day.
Kericho County targets to plant 16 million tree seedlings in 11,000 hectares of land by the end of this year
Others present at the function were the Bomet Senator Hillary Sigey, Kipkelion East MP Joseph Cherorot, Kwale County Woman Rep Fatuma Mohamed, Kericho County Secretary Dr. Wesly Bor, Kericho CECM Environment Rosemary Rop, Deputy Speaker Kericho County Assembly Eric Bett, Kapsoit MCA Paul Chirchir alias Tarimbo among others.
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