With prolonged and severe dry spell prediction, a paradigm shift is needed for countries in the Greater Horn of Africa to avert the imminent drought in the region, according to the World Metrological Organization (WMO).
Much of the horn will experience increased likelihood of drier than normal rainfall from June to September 2019, Director for Climate Prediction and Adaptation at World Metrological Organization (WMO), Maxx Dilley told jornalists on Tuesday after a relevant meeting in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia, south-western Eritrea, South Sudan, parts of western Sudan as well as some region on the Sudan/Ethiopia border, northern and far-western Uganda, western Rwanda as well as coastal areas of Kenya and Somalia will experience lower rain fall, according to the organization
Dilley said a well-planned approach that focuses on reducing the impacts of drought is crucial now to curbing the vulnerability.
He stated that “the region has very variable climatic condition; June to September is a tricky season where we are going to see below normal rain fall in some regions and in elevated is above normal.”
Maxx, therefore, recommended for saving water and planting drought tolerating crops in areas where the forecast has high probability for dry conditions in the Horn.
Appreciating Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s 4 billion Trees Planting Initiative, he said the initiative is part of protecting green house gas emission which helps to ease the impact of climate change.
According to the World Agricultural and Food organization (FAO) more than 15 percent of natural disaster damages and losses are caused by drought.
Drought accounts for over 85 percent of livestock losses and is the most lethal natural hazard to livestock, FOA revealed.
MG/as/APA