Kenya Uses Early Warning App to Cope with Extreme Climate

A Thompson Reuters article reports that weather alerts and early warnings delivered through a phone app are efficient tools for pastoralists in Kenya.

The article says the app uses weather station data to help pastoralists prepare for droughts and weather forecasts.

For instance, dry weather conditions forecast would allow pastoralists to transfer their livestock to other areas with available food and water. The app can point out where these areas are, saving pastoralists time and potentially their animals’ lives.

Not all the villagers have access to a smartphone, but some who do will make it their task to share vital weather information with fellow pastoralists in their village and even up to distant villages.

The warming climate causing prolonged droughts is devastating for Kenya’s pastoralists. For most villagers, weather alerts are more than weather reports; they are a tool to protect their livestock and guide their decisions.

If there is an imminent drought, pastoralists can sell their livestock to reduce their losses.

If a rainy season is approaching, they will prevent livestock crossings in rivers at risk of flooding and vaccinate them against potentially fatal viruses and diseases such as Rift Valley fever.

The app is part of Amfratech’s Climate Livestock and Markets (CLIMARK) project. With funding from relevant government institutions, it aims to provide access to 300,000 pastoralists in Kenya in the next five years.

Since its launch in 2018, more than 500 herders have access to the free weather app, and 2000 people have benefitted from information sharing in the community.

Please click the link below to learn more about Kenya’s early warning system and how it helps pastoralists adapt to extreme climate conditions.