Despite the harsh outlook, KMSA notes that the dry weather offers one advantage: a valuable window to harvest, dry, and safely store any crops that have already matured, especially maize, in counties such as Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia in Western Kenya, and Machakos and Embu.
“Dry conditions will favor harvesting, drying, and safe storage of mature crops. Maize harvesting is ongoing in parts of Western Kenya, while crops in Machakos and Embu have reached maturity,” stated Kenya Met.
However, not every region faces the same dry fate this July, as the Coastal counties such as Taita Taveta, Kilifi, Malindi, Kwale, and Lamu are expected to receive near- to above-average rainfall, offering a welcome boost to local crop growth.
Central Highlands and Nairobi residents should also expect occasional light showers and cloudy skies this month, offering a mild reprieve from the dry, warmer conditions gripping most of the rest of the country.
With dry weather largely working in farmers’ favour, Kenya Met has urged farmers whose crops are still standing in the field to consider mulching, a method that helps retain whatever soil moisture remains, while irrigating wherever that option truly exists.
“Take advantage of the dry conditions to harvest, properly dry and safely store mature crops. Conserve soil moisture by mulching and irrigate, where possible, for crops still in the field,” urged Kenya Met.
Livestock keepers have also been reminded to provide enough water, proper shelter, and supplementary feed, while Kenya Met urges farmers to keep consulting extension officers for guidance suited to their region.
On the other hand, temperatures are expected to run warmer than usual nationwide, except in the Central Highlands such as Nyeri, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Muranga Counties, and Nairobi, mirroring June when Lodwar hit 30.8 degrees, and Nyahururu recorded a cooler 14.8 degrees.
