The Ministry of Environment has revealed plans to revamp the Meteorological department to ensure more accurate weather outcasts.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said the revamp which will be done in collaboration with the Finland government will ensure the Met department gets enhanced equipment and new technology.
She spoke on Wednesday during the official opening of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development forum in Nairobi.
The CS acknowledged that even though the department is doing its best to contribute to the outlooks that inform farmers and stakeholders, there is need is more that needs to be done.
“We are living below par in terms of the potential of our metrological department and we are working to revamp the met department,” she said.
“We have the support of the Finland government to enhance the technology and capacity of our met department to relay early warning information that can be in step with the highly unpredictable weather and climate trends that we are witnessing because of climate change,” she said.
Tuya said the country is in the middle of a drought that has not been witnessed in the last 40 years hence the need to up the game in terms of early warning.
Last year, Auditor General Nancy Githungu revealed that the department could be feeding Kenyans unreliable weather forecast information because it had been using obsolete technology.
Gathungu in her audit report called for an overhaul in the existing manual technology system and replacing it with digital technology to enhance the reliability and timely dissemination of weather forecasts.