Kenya is a fascinating country with rich geographical features as well as diverse sociocultural and physical settings. Kenya is located in east Africa, at latitudes of 6°S to 6°N. Kenya is neighboured by Tanzania to the southeast, Uganda to the west, South Sudan and Ethiopia to the north, and Somalia to the east. Kenya's advantageous geographical location makes it the gateway to East Africa and a global travel hub. It is a crossroads for trade and communication, serving eastern and central Africa as well as the Horn of Africa. The capital city Nairobi is the regional commercial hub, while Mombasa is the largest port and serves the entire East African hinterland.
Kenya is bordered to the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, to the east by Somalia, to the west by Uganda, to the south by Tanzania, and to the southeast by the Indian Ocean. Kenya has a coastline on the Indian Ocean, which contains swamps of East African mangroves.
The Geography of Kenya is diverse, varying amongst its 47 counties. Inland are broad plains and numerous hills. Central and Western Kenya is characterized by the Kenyan Rift Valley and central Province home to the highest mountain, Mount Kenya and Mount Elgon on the border between Kenya and Uganda. The Kakamega Forest in western Kenya is a relic of an East African rainforest.
Kenya's terrain is composed of low plains that rise into central highlands that are, in turn, bisected by the Great Rift Valley. The lowest point on Kenya is at sea level on the Indian Ocean. The Great Rift Valley, which enters Kenya from its southwestern neighbour, Tanzania, continues on to its northern neighbour, Ethiopia, and divides the Kenyan highlands into east and west, creating another very striking feature of Kenya’s geography.
Within the kenya rift valley lies a chain of eight lakes of various forms and composition, including the alkaline waters of an inland sea in the far north, Lake Turkana which has the popular name The Jade Sea because of its greenish colour. In addition to Lake Victoria, Kenya is well endowed with small and large lakes, which dot the floor of the Rift Valley from Lake Amboseli in the south to Lake Turkana in the north.
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Lake Turkana, the “jade sea”, crosses into Ethiopia at its northern end and is the world’s largest desert lake. Lake Victoria, on the other hand, is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, and is shared by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The northern and North-Eastern parts of Kenya are dominated by arid plains and several isolated mountains, most notably the Mathew and Ndoto ranges, Mount Marsabit and its beautiful Lake Paradise. The Songot Mountains, Murua Ngithigerr Laima, Lokwonamoru, and Lorionestom are found in the central, northern, and North-Western corners of Turkana. These isolated hills and mountains enjoy higher levels of precipitation, and thereby become crucial areas for resource concentration.
The southern rangelands border Tanzania. They stretch from the Lolgorien Hills through the Nguruman Escarpment, the Maasai Mara, and the Namanga Hills to end in the southeastern corner of Kajiado, where they are bounded by the Kyullu Hills to the east and the northeastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to the south. The Maasai Mara is considered one the most beautiful game parks in the world.
The country extends from the low-altitude coastal belt of the Indian Ocean in the southeast and gradually the elevation rises to just above 1,000 m above sea level before flattening along the extended length of the Yatta Plateau. The monotony of the flat plains is intermittently broken by residual hills, namely the Taita and Kyullu Hills, which are masses of broken boulders and inselbergs of the Kibwezi-Makindu line.
These reach an imposing 5,200 m above sea level to form the country’s most spectacular snow-capped national landmark, Mount Kenya. To the west, the Aberdare ranges rise to just over 4,000 m above sea level. These two landmarks form one of the most important water towers in the country. The Central Highlands, spreads like a giant mantle on both sides of the Aberdare Mountains, which stretch northwards more than 100 miles fromNairobi.
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The western highlands separate the Lake region from the rest of the country, and stretch from Kisii in the south to the tea plantation areas of Kericho, before continuing through to Kitale, Eldoret, and further north to elevations 4,300 m above sea level. This is where the impressive Mount Elgon rises up, the product of an extinct volcano.
Much of the country, especially in the north and east, is arid or semi-arid. The northern and eastern three‑fifths of the country are arid. The southern two‑fifths, where most of the population and nearly all the economic production is centered, consists of a low‑lying coastal area and a plateau varying in altitude from 3,000 to 10,000 feet.
Nairobi is 87 miles south of the Equator and some 300 miles west of the Indian Ocean. Nairobi is the capital city and a commercial center. It is situated 300 miles from the Coast and lies midway between the capitals of Uganda and Tanzania.
Mombasa is Kenya’s main port and a popular holiday city. It is situated on an island in a natural sheltered inlet. Kisumu is the Chief Port city on the shores of Lake Victoria. Eldoret lies on the main road and rail route to Uganda.
9.8% of the land is arable; permanent crops occupy 0.9% of the land, permanent pasture occupies 37.4% of the land; forest occupies 6.1% of the land. Other uses make up the rest of Kenya's land.
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There is limited volcanic activity in the country. Barrier Volcano (elev. 1,032 m) last erupted in 1921. Note: Kalukwakerith Mountain is in the disputed Ilemi Triangle region.
Climate
The climate of Kenya varies by location, from mostly cool every day, to always warm/hot by mid afternoon. Kenya is located in east Africa, at latitudes of 6°S to 6°N. Located on the Indian Ocean, its climate is tropical, but moderated by diverse topography in the west.
In the low-lying districts, particularly along the coast, the climate is tropical, hot and humid. On the Plateau and in the highlands the climate is more temperate. The climate along the coast is tropical. This means rainfall and temperatures are higher than inland throughout the year. At the coastal cities, Mombasa, Lamu and Malindi, the air temperature changes from cool to hot, almost every day.
The further inland one is in Kenya, the more arid the climate becomes. An extremely arid climate is nearly devoid of rainfall, and temperature varies widely according to the general time of the day/night.
Elevation is the major factor in temperature levels, with the higher areas, on average, about 11 °C (20 °F) cooler, day or night. The many cities over a kilometre in elevation have temperature swings from roughly 10-26 °C (50-79 °F).
At lower altitudes, the increased temperature is like day and night, literally: like starting the morning at the highland daytime high, and then adding the heat of the day, again. Hence, the overnight low temperatures near sea level are nearly the same as the high temperatures of the elevated Kenyan highlands.
There are slight seasonal variations in temperature, of 4 °C or 7.2 °F, cooler in the winter months. On the high mountains, such as Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon and Kilimanjaro, the weather can become bitterly cold for most of the year.
Kenya has a wide rage of climatic scenarios largely dictated by the highly diverse topography and moisture generating systems, hence creating a wide rage of agro-ecological zones. Two rainy seasons prevail in much of Kenya with the long rains normally occurring in March through May while the short rains come in September and October.
The high lands are well watered through orographic processes and the interior lowlands in the north are quite arid. The eastern and western high lands ranging from 1000 to 2500 meters in elevation receive abundant rainfall while experiencing cooler temperature with less evapo-transpiration. This results in varied agro-ecological zones that sustain a wide diversity of agriculture.
Seasonal climatic changes are controlled by the large-scale pressure systems of the western Indian Ocean and adjacent landmasses. From December to March, northeast winds predominate north of the Equator, while south to southeast winds dominate south of it. These months are fairly dry, although rain may occur locally.
The rainy season extends from late March to May, with air flowing from the east in both hemispheres. In the Lake Victoria basin, annual precipitation varies from 40 inches (1,000 mm) around the lakeshore to more than 70 inches (1,800 mm) in the higher elevations in the eastern areas.
The lakeshore has excellent agricultural potential because it can expect 20 to 35 inches (500 to 900 mm) in most years. Daily maximum temperatures range from 80 °F (27 °C) in July to 90 °F (32 °C) in October and February.
In the Rift Valley, average temperatures decrease from about 84 °F (29 °C) in the north to just over 61 °F (16 °C) around Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha in the south. The adjacent highlands are generally moderate, with average temperatures ranging between 56 and 65 °F (13 and 18 °C).
The floor of the Rift Valley is generally dry, while the highland areas receive more than 30 inches (760 mm) of rain per year. The reliable precipitation and fertile soils of the Mau Escarpment form the basis for a thriving agricultural sector.
In the eastern plateau region, annual precipitation in most areas averages 20 to 30 inches (500 to 760 mm), although agriculture is hampered by extremely variable precipitation.
The semiarid and arid regions of northern, northeastern, and southern Kenya have high temperatures but very erratic precipitation. Most places experience average temperatures of 85 °F (29 °C) or more, while annual precipitation is only about 10 inches (250 mm) in the north and less than 20 inches (500 mm) in the south.
In most parts of the coast, average temperatures exceed 80 °F (27 °C) and relative humidity is high year-round. From the humid coast, where annual precipitation is between 30 and 50 inches (760 and 1,270 mm), precipitation decreases westward to about 20 inches (500 mm) per year. Only on the southern coast is precipitation reliable enough for prosperous agriculture.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the main stay of Kenya’s economy that employs over 75 percent of its labor force and is the lifeline for 85 percent of the population. It earns 60% of the countries foreign exchange. Although only about 20% of the land is suitable for cultivation, agriculture is the most important economic activity.
Agricultural production involves mainly mixed farming, the raising of crops and livestock. Cropping is more intensive in the high rainfall areas with maize being the main staple food crop and beans the most important legume. Coffee, tea, and sugarcane are major commercial crops.
The Kenyan highlands comprise one of the country’s breadbaskets owing to the highly reliable precipitation and fertile soils. Livestock is raised here and it is also where the most successful large- and small holder commercial farming is practised, with crops including tea, coffee, pyrethrum, wheat, and maize.
Commercial agriculture abounds with cultivation of tea, coffee and specialty export vegetables and flowers. Agriculture here serves more of the domestic market with the production of maize, wheat and livestock although export crops of tea and sugar are also prominent.
Traditional agriculture prevails throughout the country and is composed of crops that are grown mainly for home consumption. Generally these are high nutrition foods that are eaten at home or traded locally. Many of these crops along with numerous wild plants are also used medicinally.
One characteristic of traditional agriculture is the practice of growing the crops in a mix of crops and animals. This has been identified through out the tropics as polyculture, intercropping, agro-forestry and multi-story agriculture.
The landscape can appear dramatically different depending on the season. Located on the equator there is no winter and seasonality is defined between “wet season” and “dry season”.
The advantages of traditional agriculture are multiple. Different crops mature at different times, ensuring food security during the year. Intercropping/polyculture farming practice reduces labor costs with regard to weeding and pest control while the different crops support each other with fertilization, shade and pest repellents. Wild products are available at different times of the year in the form of plants, roots, legumes and tubers.
More study is required on the role of traditional food crops in ensuring sustainable food production and supply in Kenya and other parts of Africa. More research is necessary on the role traditional crops as sources of income. There is need for more research on the nutritional value of respective crops.
The Central Highlands, spreads like a giant mantle on both sides of the Aberdare Mountains, which stretch northwards more than 100 miles fromNairobi.This is an area of rich agricultural land and dense forest. The principal cash crops are coffee, tea, maize, horticultural produce like flowers and green beans, and pyrethrum (used in insecticides).
The vulnerable people, prefer rearing small animals such as goats and sheep that do not require a lot of fodder. Due to the changes in the water level and temperatures, several measures have been adopted by fish farmers.
Table 1: Kenya’s Ago-Ecological Zones. Divided into seven agro-climatic zones (ACZ) based on suitable area for growing major food and cash crops.
| Agro-Climatic Zone | Description |
|---|---|
| I | Humid |
| II | Sub-Humid |
| III | Semi-Humid |
| IV | Semi-Arid |
| V | Arid |
| VI | Very Arid |
| VII | Desert |
Agricultural Intensity is pronounced in the rainy highlands where temperatures are persistently cooler, evaporation rates lower and the soil has been blessed with rich volcanic nutrients. The highlands are divided by the Great Rift Valley which drops down to 1000 meters above sea level. Nairobi, the capital resides above 2000 meters in the Eastern Highlands which include the heights of Mt. Kenya at just fewer than 6000 meters.
Within the Rift Valley, the rainfall declines and irrigation frequently supports commercial agriculture of various types.
Some of staples of western Kenya include sorghum, finger millet , arrow root, beans, black night shade, sweet potatoes, kale, and cow peas. Maize cake (ugali) is still a major component of the diet. Many greens that grow semi-wild are consumed as vegetables.
In recent years there has been increase in demand for different crops in Kenya. This has been a result of frequent crop failures and declining yields of the main staple crops of maize, beans and potatoes. More farmers are turning to growing traditional food crops such as millet, sorghum, bananas, yams, greens and sweet potatoes.
Climate Change Threatening Kenya's Smallholder Farm Crop Production
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