Climate models paint bleak picture for east Africa-scientist

Climate change is expected to bring greater extremes in weather conditions, but climate models disagree about which problems – droughts, flooding, temperature increases – are most likely in much of northern, central and western Africa.

In east Africa, however, the models largely agree: dry areas will suffer more prolonged droughts and wet areas will see increased moisture and perhaps worsening flooding.

“For east Africa, there is more agreement between the models that it is more likely that dry areas will get drier while the wet areas will get wetter,” Philip Thornton, a senior scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute, told AlertNet in an interview.

Thornton is among scientists and food expects attending a conference in Nairobi focused on the threat of climate change to the global food supply.