Effect of drought early warning system (DEWS) in drought mitigation and management in arid and semi arid lands (ASALS) in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya is a drought prone nation with just 20.0% of the area receiving high, regular rains, and the other 80.0% is either arid or semi-arid land (ASAL). There are 23 ASAL in Kenya, out of which 9 of them are arid and 14 are semi-arid lands. One of the most crucial strategies to mitigate drought is the use of Drought Early Warning System which enables availing timely and reliable facts, via selected institutions like NDMA in Kenya that allow people who are exposed to the hazard to obtain action to circumvent or reduce the risk and be ready for useful response. The study used a descriptive research design, which adopted a survey. Purposive sampling was utilized to get 5 respondents from the 23 ASALs totaling 115. Online Questionnaires were used as the primary method of collecting data. Data gathered were coded and analysed through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine frequency distributions, rankings and correlations. The findings were presented in tables and charts. The findings established that the DEWS being a critical component of drought mitigation has enabled provision of timely and up to date information. This resulted to the conclusion that DEWS can minimize drought peril by ensuring on time response to drought threats. The study has also established that some Counties do not have capacity in terms of personnel to properly coordinate drought mitigation efforts. The study recommends more capacity building on the DEWS as a drought mitigation strategy to ensure opportune planning for drought and to make sure there is efficient coordinated reaction by all relevant stakeholders. There is also need for NDMA to improve the DEWS to enhance information dissemination and collaborate with stakeholders to create awareness to communities living in ASALs. This will reduce risks associated with drought.