The vast maize fields that usually paint Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties green have turned an alarming shade of brown.

‎Under an unrelenting sun, withered stalks stand lifeless across farms that only months ago promised another bumper harvest. Cracks run through the dry earth, streams have receded, and anxious farmers walk silently through their fields, watching most of the entire season's investment disappear before their eyes.

‎Trans Nzoia County Department of Agriculture estimates that over 50,000 of the 250,000 acres under maize cultivation have withered, threatening the country's broader food security.

‎Bungoma, is one of Kenya's principal maize-producing counties, with about 97 per cent of farming households cultivating maize as both their staple food and primary source of income.

‎Last year, favourable weather delivered one of the county's best harvests, strengthening its reputation as one of the country's grain baskets. This season, however, farmers are confronting an unfamiliar reality.

‎The Kenya Meteorological Department  had earlier warned that western Kenya would experience a prolonged cold and dry season, resulting in below-normal soil moisture that would affect crop growth.

‎Many farmers had already planted their crops, expecting normal rainfall, only to watch the maize wither prematurely under prolonged dry spell.

‎"We have never witnessed such before, although I have not been badly affected, I have seen my neighbour’s field dry up," says Leah Wanjiru Malongo, a small-scale farmer in Kimilili Maeni.

‎According to Simon Peter Papa lack of rain has adversely affected farming ‎"Every day we pray for rain, but instead we watch the crops wither. We invested everything we had into it, If nothing changes, we will have nothing to harvest and no way to feed our families."

‎The drought has hit hard in Bungoma, where soils naturally have low moisture retention, making crops highly vulnerable during extended dry periods.

‎However, not every farmer has experienced the same level of loss. According to Stephen Amusala, Chief Executive Officer of ADS Western, farmers who adopted climate-smart farming practices have shown greater resilience.

"Our field monitoring indicates that farmers practising conservation agriculture have experienced significantly less damage than those using conventional methods," says Amusala.

‎"Practices such as mulching, minimum tillage, agroforestry, compost application and cover cropping have helped retain soil moisture and protect crops despite the prolonged dry conditions. Farmers who embraced these practices through continuous training are recording better outcomes," he explained.

‎According to him, integrating trees within farms has reduced soil temperatures while mulching has minimized evaporation, allowing crops to survive longer under moisture stress.

‎"Climate change is no longer a future concern; it is today's reality," Amusala says. "The solution is to scale up conservation agriculture and equip farmers with climate-resilient farming practices that protect both livelihoods and food security."

‎Experts warn that if the drought persists, maize production across western Kenya could decline significantly, reducing household incomes, tightening national grain supplies and pushing up the cost of maize flour.

‎Scientists attribute the changing weather patterns to climate change and increasingly erratic rainfall, underscoring the urgent need for investment in irrigation, climate-smart agriculture and improved weather advisory services.

‎As Bungoma's once-green fields continue to fade under the scorching sun, farmers are left praying for rains.