Crop failure now, El Nino follows: Kenya's farmers brace for another disaster

Industries marooned by floods along Enterprise Road following the heavy downpour in Nairobi, on March 6, 2026. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

Kenya is staring at a double farming catastrophe. Massive crop failure has been witnessed across the country after the long rains failed. But as farmers were hoping to get some reprieve from the short rains expected in one or two months, a warning by meteorologists puts a damper on efforts to recoup what was lost. The same El Nino that led to the crop failure is about to unleash torrential rains that will lead to flooding.

Former Chief Justice and presidential hopeful David Maraga has described the expected rainfall as "Godzilla" El Niño. The Africa Development Bank has called it a 'Super El Nino'. The banks climate experts estimate hits of between $10 and 20 billion in Africa.