The Highly Variable Rainfall Patterns in the Greater Horn of Africa affect agric. prod. I IGAD

According to the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region to which East Africa is part, is characterized with high population growth that is faced with high incidence of climate related hazards due to heavy reliance on climate. A large part of the region falls within arid and semi-arid areas (ASALs) with mainly pastoral communities and small scale farmers. Observed rainfall records show declining trends in long rainfall (March to May) season that is a main rainfall season for the equatorial sector of the region. Moreover, rainfall over the region has become less predictable due to its complex nature. There are already identified climate change hotspots of concern in the region based on rainfall and temperature variability and trends.

The GHA region’s vulnerability to climate change and variability including extremes is quite high. This is due to high magnitudes of climate hazards, high sensitivity of socioeconomic activities and livelihoods (agriculture, water resources, and energy among others) and low adaptive capacity already witnessed among communities. The low adaptive capacity is due to poor infrastructure, high illiteracy levels / poor access to information, low social capital, poor policies and early warning systems and poor governance.

More effort is needed to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies and technologies to effectively mitigate against the impacts of climate change. This is only possible reliable and timely climate information is availed to the key stake holders. ICPAC works to address the climate change issues over Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region.