{
  "id": 11533783,
  "title": "Kenya’s maize harvest faces up to 36% yield drop as El Niño brings new flood risk",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/kenyas-maize-harvest-faces-up-to-36-yield-drop-as-el-nino-brings-new",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T21:19:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "People Daily Kenya",
    "slug": "people-daily-kenya",
    "url": "https://peopledaily.digital/news/kenyas-maize-harvest-faces-up-to-36-yield-drop-as-el-nino-brings-new-flood-risk"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kenya's maize harvest is expected to suffer a significant yield drop of up to 36 percent in some western counties, despite forecasts of a much wetter October-to-December season that could bring flooding risks. The warning comes from the October 2026 Crop Monitor for Early Warning, which attributes the maize losses to erratic rainfall, prolonged moisture deficits, and high temperatures. At the same time, the report predicts above-normal rainfall for Kenya from October to December, with a 70 to 90 percent probability of above-normal rains, according to ECMWF. This shift in agricultural risk comes after an exceptionally dry season earlier in the year, with some western regions already experiencing heavy rainfall and flooding. Harvesting is underway in the unimodal and major-producing western regions, but conditions have deteriorated due to erratic rainfall and high temperatures. The Kenya-specific maize forecast, based on estimates from the Kenya ADAPT project, indicates yields could be \"up to 36 percent below average in some major producing counties in the west.\" The June-to-September 2026 rainfall season was exceptionally poor across northern and western East Africa, with western Kenya among the driest areas on record. Record-high maximum temperatures further increased moisture stress on crops. While the wetter October-to-December season could provide relief, it also poses a new threat of flooding. Areas such as northeastern and southeastern Kenya, the Tana River basin, and parts of central and western Kenya are identified as high-risk zones for flash or riverine flooding, landslides, disease outbreaks, and transport disruptions. The coming season requires close monitoring to determine if the rains will replenish water supplies or cause further agricultural damage.",
  "summary": "Kenya’s maize harvest is facing losses of up to 36 per cent below average in some major western producing counties, even as forecasts point to a much wetter October-to-December season that could bring a new threat: flooding. The warning comes from the October 2026 Crop Monitor for Early Warning, which says erratic rainfall, prolonged moisture […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "People Daily Kenya",
        "title": "CBK: Kenya Eurobond yields rise as bond market faces fresh pressure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/cbk-kenya-eurobond-yields-rise-as-bond-market-faces-fresh-pressure",
        "published": "2026-10-02T17:21:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}