George Kimiti, Director Department of Natural Resources Kajiado County (right in a dark suit), and other senior officials keenly follow a demonstration of how the Maa Community predict the weather from a goat's intestines /HANDOUT
The government must put mental health and psychosocial support at the centre of preparations to mitigate the adverse effects of the anticipated El Niño rains, experts have said.
Dr Rosalid Nkirote, the executive advisor at the African Coalition of Communities Responsive to Climate Change (ACCRCC), said climate shocks such as floods do more than destroy homes, roads, livestock and crops and can leave lasting psychological and emotional scars on affected communities.
“Floods don’t just damage property; they affect minds and emotions,” Nkirote said.
She spoke during a three-day Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) workshop for the October-November-December rain season. The three-day workshop is being held at the Multipurpose Adult Training Institute in Isinya, Kajiado County, between September 7 and 9.
It brings together the Kenya Meteorological Services Authority, Kenya Climate Change Working Group, Heifer International, Inuka for Community, the County Government of Kajiado, community representatives and other stakeholders.
The workshop brings seasonal climate forecasts into dialogue with communities to develop locally relevant advisories and identify actions that can be taken before and during climate-related shocks.
Nkirote said mental health should be integrated into early warning systems, anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation programmes rather than being addressed only after a disaster has occurred.
“We are calling for mental health and psychosocial support to be considered within climate preparedness, early warning, anticipatory action, disaster risk reduction and community resilience programmes,” she said.
“Communities need communication that is not only technically accurate, but also accessible, trusted and actionable, with particular attention to people who may face barriers to receiving warnings, evacuating safely or accessing support.”
The call comes as the Kenya Meteorological Services and other climate agencies forecast a wetter-than-normal season in large parts of the Greater Horn of Africa region.
The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) said in its August 2026 regional outlook that El Nino had developed and was expected to strengthen during the remainder of the year.
The centre identified increased chances of wetter-than-normal conditions across much of the region, with eastern Kenya among areas facing particularly high probabilities of enhanced rainfall.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has similarly warned that the strengthening El Nino, together with a likely positive Indian Ocean Dipole, could contribute to warmer and wetter-than-usual conditions across the region in the last quarter of 2026.
The October-December season is particularly important for Kenya as it accounts for a significant share of annual rainfall.
Nkirote said preparedness should therefore go beyond protecting physical assets to ensuring that communities are psychologically prepared to cope with the uncertainty and disruption that climate shocks bring.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says climate change is already affecting mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, with climate-related hazards linked to emotional distress, anxiety, depression, grief and post-traumatic stress. It has called on countries to integrate mental health support into climate action and disaster risk reduction.
WHO also notes that emergencies can trigger anxiety, grief, acute stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, while disruption of health services can make it harder for affected populations to access care.
ACCRCC said the psychological burden can be particularly severe for people repeatedly exposed to floods, droughts, displacement, livelihood losses and uncertainty over future climate shocks.
The coalition noted that women and girls, children and young people, older people, pregnant women, people with disabilities, pastoralist communities and displaced families may face additional barriers to accessing warnings, evacuation support, healthcare and psychosocial services.
ACCRCC said climate-related disasters may contribute to anxiety and fear, depression and hopelessness, trauma, grief, sleep disturbances, stress and burnout, while disruption and displacement can also increase risks of gender-based violence.
“Women, children, older people, people with disabilities, pastoralists and displaced communities should not be treated only as recipients of assistance, but as holders of knowledge and partners in preparedness and response,” the coalition said.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also recognises mental health and psychosocial support as an important component of disaster preparedness and response.
It said disasters can result in people losing loved ones, homes and livelihoods, while early psychosocial support can help communities cope and recover.
ACCRCC said timely and understandable climate information can itself help reduce fear and uncertainty by giving people the information and urgency to prepare.
The coalition called for closer collaboration between governments, humanitarian agencies, health providers, climate institutions and development partners to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into disaster preparedness, early warning, climate adaptation and community resilience programmes.
The PSP workshop is also seeking to strengthen the link between scientific forecasts and Indigenous knowledge. Community observations, including animal behaviour, stars and other environmental indicators, as well as traditional practices such as examination of goat intestines, are discussed alongside scientific forecasts.
“As the rains approach, climate resilience cannot be achieved through stronger infrastructure and livelihoods protection alone. It requires stronger, healthier and psychologically supported communities that have the information, resources and voice to prepare before climate shocks arrive,” ACCRCC said.
