Voices of Change: Enock from Kericho County, Kenya

What is your name and where are from?

My name is Enock Langat and I am from Kenya’s Kericho County.

Have you heard the term Climate change?

I heard about climate change from the news, from my friends and from articles. 

What is the climate over there?

I grew up in the beautiful, lush tea-growing county of Kericho, located in Kenya's Rift Valley highlands. My homeland was always blanketed in green, with predictable rainy seasons that allowed crops to thrive and provided plenty of water for local communities. But over the past decades, the effects of climate change have transformed Kericho.

 Do you guys see any changes in the climate during past few years

In my childhood in the 1990s, we relied on rains falling moderately throughout the spring months. The agricultural practice is rain-fed, dependent on the rains throughout the year. Temperatures were also predictable and comfortable all the way through, thanks to Kericho's high elevation. But in recent years, rainfall patterns have become increasingly inconsistent. Downpours are heavy but short-lived, followed by extended dry periods. A decade of measurement data shows rainfall declining by over 15% in Kericho while temperatures have increased by nearly 2°C. These changes have had significant impacts on the county. With unreliable rainfall, local rivers and streams have seen water levels drop, sometimes drying up entirely during dry seasons. Wells have had to be dug deeper to reach groundwater for drinking and irrigation. A well is a dug or drilled privatized hole which provides access to underground water. Unpredictable downpours lead to soil erosion that reduces crop yields. A recent report projects up to a 30% drop in tea yields over the next decade for Kericho if climate trends continue. This is deeply worrying for an area where tea accounts for over 60% of jobs.

What does your family think about the climate change?

My family doesn't specifically discuss climate change. However, the climate changes are observed by common people as well as in my family. Adapting to these changes in the environment is not easy. Farmers in my community are altering crop varieties and using more drought-resilient hybrids, but outputs are still falling. For example, most people have started adopting orchard farming instead of tea growing. Some community programs are underway to plant new trees and conserve forests to protect water sources. But these efforts will not be enough without global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change.

What is your opinion on climate change, why does it occur, and what is the main cause?

The changes in Kericho have opened my eyes to the very real dangers that climate change poses - not just to my community, but to the world. Though Kericho represents just a tiny fraction of the planet, the transformations I have witnessed over a single lifetime are testament to the massive environmental shifts underway. That is why I am committed to raising awareness of climate impacts and calling for the cooperation needed to protect our shared future. The coming generation depends on it.

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