Melting Glaciers and Water Security in Africa
March 19, 2025
The retreat of glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya is more than just a local issue—it is reshaping climate patterns across Africa. As these ice reserves shrink, they disrupt regional water cycles, leading to unpredictable rainfall, prolonged droughts, and extreme flooding. Farmers who once relied on steady seasonal rains now face erratic conditions that threaten crop yields and food security.
The melting glaciers also contribute to shifts in atmospheric and ocean circulation, intensifying climate phenomena like the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These shifts have made East Africa’s climate more volatile, with some years experiencing severe drought while others are hit by devastating floods. Rivers like the Pangani and Tana, which depend on glacial meltwater, are seeing altered flows, affecting both agriculture and hydropower.
Meanwhile, warming ocean temperatures linked to global ice loss bring stronger tropical storms in the Indian Ocean. In recent years, cyclones like Idai (2019) and Freddy (2023) have brought catastrophic flooding to Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar, displacing millions and destroying livelihoods.
As glaciers continue to melt, these challenges will only intensify. Strengthening climate resilience and ensuring access to reliable climate information services will be critical to helping communities adapt to a future where water availability and extreme weather become even more unpredictable. SAFE4ALL is harnessing scientific climate data and local knowledge and co-develops tailored climate services that support decision-making from the farm level to district and national planning. By providing actionable knowledge across scales, SAFE4ALL helps farmers, policymakers, and communities navigate climate risks and build long-term resilience.
Weather Impact (Netherlands)
delivers digital weather and climate services to strengthen resilience in sub-Saharan Africa. Specializing in agro-meteorology, it provides tailored forecasts, agro-advisories, and extreme weather alerts for farmers and agribusinesses. As a key partner in SAFE4ALL, Weather Impact is developing a chatbot integrating climate services to support farmers in Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. It also leads efforts to ensure the sustainability of SAFE4ALL’s tools through market research, business models, and local capacity-building. By advancing climate resilience and food security, Weather Impact empowers African agriculture for a more sustainable future.