Experts back tech to boost food security

The ongoing rains pounding various parts of the country are likely to disrupt agricultural production and lead to food shortages in Kenya and other East African countries this season.

As a result, Kenya may be forced to import essential food items such as maize, wheat and rice from other countries.

African Alive Kenya Chapter, an Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says in its latest report that the negative impacts of climate change have far-reaching consequences on agriculture and food production.

Africa continues to bear the brunt of climate change. Crop yields are expected to decline due to rising global temperatures, increasing the risk of hunger across the continent.

At the same time, the growing frequency of droughts and floods is negatively affecting local food production, especially in subsistence farming sectors sectors located in low-latitude regions. Rain-fed agriculture in semi-arid and sub-humid regions is mostly at risk.

“The impacts of climate change on forests and forest-dependent communities are already evident with increased incidences of forest fires, pests outbreaks and diseases,” says Prof Daniel Nyamai, former research scientist and assistant director at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI).

Kenya has already experienced devastating forest fires attributed to unusual environmental conditions with the massive blaze in the Aberdare forest serving as a case study.
“Flash floods across several parts of the country have worsened—and will continue to worsen—agricultural production, development and growth in the sector,” says Prof Nyamai.

Kenya’s shifting climate has in the past led to destruction and displacement, especially in flood-prone regions such as Nyanza, Western and Lower Eastern Kenya.

Walter Nyakwaka, Africa Alive–Kenya Chapter chief executive says science and technology must drive agricultural production over the next 30 years at a pace even faster than the Green Revolution of the past four decades.

He explains that embracing new biotechnologies can complement traditional breeding methods—boosting yields, improving input efficiency, reducing farming risks, and enhancing the nutritional value of crops.

Most genetically modified (GM) crops in use today have been engineered for herbicide tolerance and pest resistance. However, the development of GM crops with traits specifically suited for smallholder farmers—such as resistance to drought, extreme heat, soil acidity, and salinity—remains largely unrealized, particularly in the face of worsening climate change.