Long rains assessment: Good on paper, uneven on the ground
Kenya's 2026 long rains provided sufficient total rainfall but failed to improve food security due to poor distribution and early cessation. Farmers in key agricultural regions were caught unprepared, negatively impacting crop yields.
Why it matters
Climate volatility and unpredictable weather patterns are undermining agricultural productivity and food security in East Africa.
City residents shield themselves from the rain in Nairobi on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Kenya’s 2026 long rains brought a measure of relief to millions of households across the country, but the season’s apparently favourable rainfall masked a more complicated reality: in many of the areas that needed the rains most, water arrived too early, fell unevenly or stopped before crops, pasture and water sources could fully recover.
The Kenya Food Security Steering Group (KFSSG), in its 2026 Long Rains Assessment, says most parts of the country received near-average to above-average rainfall between March and May, with some areas recording significantly more rain than usual.
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