Climate change conversation and its impact in terms of extreme weather patterns on communities has taken a tone of urgency. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heatwaves, is taking a heavy toll on Kenyan communities, impacting livelihoods, food security, and infrastructure.
According to the State of the Climate Kenya 2024 Report by the Kenya Meteorological Department, Kenya is experiencing more extreme weather than ever before. For instance, the country experienced its worst flooding in years with some areas receiving 111-200% of their long-term average.
Flooding affected over 100,000 households, causing more than KSh 400 million in damages across coastal regions, destroying crops, and infrastructure, and resulting in livestock deaths further worsening food insecurity and economic losses.
From Drought to Floods in a Single Year
Early last year, the nation was reeling from the aftermath of a prolonged drought that left over two million people food insecure. Farmers lost their crops to the heat while pastoralist communities in North Eastern Kenya lost thousands of livestock due to water shortages.
However, the weather took a drastic turn in midyear with torrential rains. According to the Kenya Meteorological Department, the March to May long rains were between 111-200% more than the seasonal average.
According to Dr. David Gikungu, Director of the Kenya Meteorological Department, the rapid transition from drought to floods reflects a disturbing trend: Kenya’s climate is becoming more unpredictable and extreme. “These shifts are creating socioeconomic challenges that hamper national development,” he warns. “Concerted collective efforts are needed to develop coping strategies.”
He further adds that this is the new normal, driven by rising global temperatures and changing climate patterns.
Human Impact
According to the National Drought Management Authority, food insecurity surged from 1 million people in July 2024 to 2.15 million by February 2025. More than 265,900 people are now classified under IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), where hunger is life-threatening.
Worse hit are arid and semi-arid counties where the loss of crops and livestock has pushed many into full dependence on food aid.
“This report on the crisis reminds us that the impacts of climate change are not abstract or distant; they affect our communities, our economies, and our natural resources every single day,” says Hon. Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry.
He further adds that the associated impacts of climate change make a call to action unmistakable, urging investment in climate-resilient ventures.
What This Means for Kenya’s Future
The Kenyan coast is especially vulnerable to the rising sea levels which are threatening to erode and flood seaside infrastructure. According to KMD’s report, hydropower generation rebounded in 2024, reducing reliance on costly thermal power. However, below-normal rainfall in late 2024 and a forecasted dry March to May 2025 season are expected to negatively impact output in 2025/26.
Moreover, Warmer-than-average temperatures are expected across the entire country, and below-average rainfall is expected over the northeastern regions and the north coast, this spells a dire crisis for an already food-insecure country.
According to Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, Head of the Research Department, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, global warming continues unabated, exactly as predicted correctly since the 1980s, and millions of people are increasingly suffering the consequences in the form of heat waves, floods, droughts, storm,s and rising seas.
“Heat and rainfall extremes are already far outside the historical climate, as weather station data show. We can only stop the warming trend by getting out of fossil fuels, and we must do it fast,” he says.
He further adds that solutions are there but are limited by disinformation campaigns and the lobbying power of the fossil fuel industry.
“Ignoring reality, denying the laws of physics, and silencing scientists can only lead to harm, and ordinary people will pay the price for that,” he warns.
Can Kenya Adapt?
To mitigate and adapt to the changes posed by climate change, the nation is already heavily investing in green energy with the largest solar farm in Africa located in Garissa County and green energy contributes approximately 80% to the national PowerGrid. Moreover, the government is actively campaigning for reforestation with a target of a billion trees planted by 2030.
Vanessa Nakate, Climate Activist says, “Phasing out fossil fuels is not a choice—it is an emergency response to a crisis unfolding before our eyes.”
Moreover, the government needs to address the gaps in disaster response. This should be done by investing in climate-resilient infrastructure which would ease the mobilization of resources to affected communities.
Farmers also need to continually learn and adopt climate-smart farming practices to eliminate losses associated with unpredictable weather.
