IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN KILIFI TOWN.
Kilifi town located in Kilifi county, Kenya which is my locality experiences adverse climate change impact that includes rising sea level,and long periods of droughts and some scenarios of flooding when it rains which greatly affects the socioeconomic activities carried out by the local community.
The shoreline of the beaches around Kilifi town such as Bofa (Vidazini) is gradually showing extensions to areas which were once visibly dry land. This is a clear indication that the sea level is indeed rising which is one of the manifestation effect of climate change. This rising sea level has impacted the local residence of this town negatively as the area is increasingly experiencing soil pH changes and water concerns caused by salty water intrusion into the nearby land which has impacted agricultural activities and even the local community when it comes to fresh borehole water for drinking. Rising sea level has also resulted to disruption of daily economic activities such as fishing and business activities including hotel operations as operators are forced to relocate their premises.
When it comes to drought and unreliable rainfall, the community has been experiencing long periods of drought that cannot sustain agricultural activities hence leading to drastic food insecurity in the area and the county at large. Though the area has periods of long droughts, it does rain after some period of time and when it rains the area and it's surrounding areas experiences flooding that destroy crops and even infrastructures such as schools and this also brings a great threat to the local residents as it disrupts socio-economic activities essential for growth of the area such as business activities, education, tourism and agricultural sector.
The locals also suffer from health risks from diseases such as Malaria during rainy seasons as a result of the flooded areas that provide breeding site for Plasmodium species.
In most cases the locals experiences high daily temperatures that even worsen during night time.
Some of the resolution taken by the local community, government of Kilifi and other organisations to reduce these induced impact of climate change include:
The Kilifi government climate change act (2021-2023) that ensures that a separate budget is set a side for climate change resolution programme.
Local community also engage in tree planting occasions especially mangrove that act as underground salt water sink and carbon sink.
The local community are also advised to embrace drought resistance crops and crops that can adapt adverse conditions such as cassava.