Climate Change & Development in the Bunyala Flood Plain- Budalangi,Kenya
The Bunyala Flood Plain, situated within the Lake Victoria basin, is one of the most densely populated regions in Kenya and even in East Africa. The flood plain is found in western Kenya and lies on the eastern shores of Lake Victoria where Nzoia River enters the lake. The floods usually arise when Nzoia River breaks its banks.
Apart from floods, the district suffers from drought too. The combination of these two hazards poses serious negative impacts on health, water and sanitation, education and overall food security.
Crop losses are one of the biggest concerns of farmers, especially rice farmers in Bunyala. Climate change is locally not yet perceived as a major reason for crop failure. According to climate projections for Bunyala, the area is going to experience more flooding as a result of heavier rainfalls in the overall river basin. The community workshop is a framework of exploring what climate change is and what are the related challenges for rice production in Bunyala and for development in general.
The overall objective of the workshop is to empower rice farmers so that production losses are reduced and explore opportunities to take advantage of the impacts of climate changes in Bunyala. Specific objectives of that community consultation include identification of areas where rice production losses arise, evaluate these losses, share ideas on how to reduce them. As climate change will be an additional stressor to socio economic development in Bunyala (more water discharged into Nzoia River), farmers will be explained what climate change is and what are the opportunities especially for their rice production.
The two-day workshop in Bunyala is for rice farmers, men and women.