By James Anyanzwa
The downpour across the country has caused massive destruction. Flash floods have demolished houses, destroyed school buildings, and washed away bridges and roads.
And while the Government is still assessing the cost of the damage on infrastructure, food experts are warning of a food crisis triggered by increased prices as farm produce has either been washed away or cannot reached the market.
The floods have been worst in parts of Nyanza, Tana River, Bura, Marsabit, Narok, and Kajiado. About 80 per cent of the maize channeled into the country’s strategic grain reserves originates from Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Lugari, and Nandi.
Paul Mbuni, a food security expert and the national chairman of the Kenya Society for Agricultural Professionals, said the immediate impact of the floods would be an increase in prices of agricultural produce.
“We are concerned that should the rain not subside in the next two or three weeks, it is likely to set off ... food insecurity in the long term,” he said.
Small-scale farmers have been the hardest hit as most of their farming is carried out in the open, exposing their produce to torrents and flash floods.
The Nairobi-Nakuru highway has also been cut off between Keroche and Total area in Naivasha after a bridge collapsed on Tuesday night.
The Kenya Horticultural sector has not been spared either.
“When it rains, disease incidents go up substantially, and this increases our costs in terms of control,” said Jane Ngige, the Kenya Flower Council chief executive.
Kenya is the world’s third-largest flower producer.
