Farmers urged to grow drought-resistant crops for food security

Bungoma,

Tuesday, August 29, 2023,

KNA by Roseland Lumwamu

Masinde Muliro University (MMUST) Vice chancellor Prof. Solomon Shibairo has called on farmers to plant drought-resistant crops to safeguard the nation's food security.

The VC warned that the changing climate and erratic rainfall patterns are the cause of persistent and prolonged drought across various regions of the country.

Prof. Shibairo made the remarks during a climate change training session organised by the Kenya Red Cross and the Christian Blind Mission organization (CBM) in collaboration with Masinde Muliro University.

About 50 youth and Bungoma County officials were trained on climate change.

He emphasized the importance of tree planting in combating climate shifts.

"In our earlier days, rain was a daily companion. However, contemporary times have borne witness to the scarcity of rain, a phenomenon largely attributed to destructive human practices, such as rampant deforestation and unrelenting environmental pollution.

These factors have disrupted the natural climatic equilibrium, leading to the unfortunate shortage of rainfall, he added,

A steadfast advocate for environmental preservation, the VC challenged the local community to refrain from planting water-intensive eucalyptus trees along riverbanks, citing their excessive water consumption as a primary cause of riverbed desiccation.

He noted that climate change has become an escalating global concern, one that demands immediate and collective action.

Prof. Shibairo commended the positive efforts of the Red Cross and CBM, in partnership with MMUST, applauding their youth-focused climate change education programmes.

He said such initiatives delve deep into the intricacies of climate change, unraveling its causes and consequences, while also exploring innovative solutions.

The vice chancellor says that the cultivation of drought-resistant crops, such as millet and short season maize, has emerged as a promising sustainable climate change alternative.

Bungoma County Director of climate change Jane Mukonambi said the county has developed a robust climate change policy, which has been meticulously formulated, enacted and put into active use.

Bungoma Kenya Red Cross chairman Dr. Ferdnand Nabiswa stressed the need for a proactive approach.

He said that waiting for disasters to unfold was no longer a tenable strategy and instead advocated for partnerships between institutions dedicated to researching and devising comprehensive climate change solutions

"Climate change affects individuals across all walks of life regardless of their abilities, wealth, or circumstances, hence the need for every individual to contribute in whatever capacity they can for the expansion of our country's forest cover,” Nabiswa added.

Courtesy ; K. N. A