Unpredicted weather and climate conditions including invasion by swarms of dessert locusts and long heavy rains have cost the Kenyan agricultural sector including sustainable food production. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations warns of imminent threat to livelihoods in the Horn of Africa if the increasing numbers of dessert locusts is not contained.

The long heavy rains in Kenya since October last year have greatly destroyed crops and affected normal food production patterns. Crops such as tomatoes and potatoes are rotting as a result of too much water while maize crops which require short rains remain stunted.

There is no consolidated data on the crops that have been destroyed by the long rains thereby creating a big gap in risk assessment. The excess soil moisture and flooding in most parts of the country is expected to result in short cycles legumes production and localized maize losses thereby increasing food prices