Assessing Agricultural Risks related to the Start, End and Length of the March – May Season in Nyando

Effective climate risk management requires access to climatic information that is timely, localized and relevant. The analysis of historical daily rainfall data can play a vital role in the generation of the much-needed climate information. 53 years of daily rainfall data for Kisumu were analysed to generate climate information needed by smallholder farmers in Nyando. The analysis involved understanding patterns of climate related events of some importance to farmers such as start of rains, end of season and length of season. This understanding was instrumental in helping the farmers plan, prepare and make informed decisions about the crops and varieties to plant and when to plant. This paper illustrates the approach used in the analysis and also presents and discusses the results of the analysis.