Agrometeorologi
st/Agroclimatologist with PhD in Soils and Atmospheric Science. Research interests include determining periodicities of good and poor rainfall in the arid and semi arid lands with the aim of helping farmers to minimize losses from rainfall failure by accounting for every rain drop; determining the impact of climate change on beekeeping in the southern rangelands; use of traditional indicators (indigenous technical knowledge) in weather forecasting; and weather/climate extension. Formerly, long serving senior research officer with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and head of the Natural Resources Management and Ecology Section at Kiboko.
ONGOING RESEARCH:
1. Documentation of indigenous rainfall indicators among the Kamba community
2. Analysis of periodicities of rainfall in the southern rangelands
3. Large scale runoff harvesting and storage in dry environments
OTHER COMPETENCIES
1. Certificate: integrity assurance officer by KACC
2. Certificate: Public procurement and disposal ACT 2005 and regulations 2006
3. Certificate: Environment Impact Assessment and Audit
4. Certificate: Performance Management and Contradicting
HONOUR SOCIETIES
Chi Epsilon Pi, Honour society in meteorology.
Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Honour Society in earth sciences.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION
1. International Society for Agricultural Meteorology – Life Member
2. Kenya Meteorological Society – Founding Member
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. Identifying Occurrences of High and Low Rainfall as a Guide to Farmers to Raise Agricultural Production in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya. Accepted as Poster at the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference, Boulder CO, USA, 2011
2. Musembi, D.K., Too, D.K., Mworia, J.K., Mwangi, M.W, Kerandi, N.M.: Identifying Occurrences of High and Low Rainfall as a Guide to Farmers to Raise Agricultural Production in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands of Kenya. Accepted as Poster at the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference, Boulder CO, USA, 2011.
3. Musembi, D.K.: The Dilemma of Using Fertilizer to power the Green Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Innovations as key to the Green Revolution in Africa, Exploring the Scientific facts. Bationo A; Waswa, B; Okeyo, J.M; Maina, F; Kihara, J.M. (eds.). Book Chapter, ISBN 978-90-481-251-8. Springer 2011.
4. Musembi, D.K., Kagio, S.: The socio-economic profile of beekeeping in the southern rangelands of Kenya. APSK’s Annual Conference, Kisumu, Kenya. 22-23 april 2009.
5. Musembi, D.K., Decker, W.L.: Radiation extinction in the canopy of a plagiophile maize hybrid during the growing season. 11th KARI Biennial Scientific Conference & 3rd Agricultural Forum 10-14 November 2008. Awarded first prize in food crops.
SELECTED CONSULTANCIES
1. Rain water harvesting at the CTA Practical Guides for Agro Enterprise Writeshop, International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), 2006.
2. Analysis of government policy on national afforestation programme for the Center for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL development (CETRAD), 2005.
3. Capacity Building through partnership and information and communication technology for using indigenous knowledge for nature conservation and natural disaster management in Africa – Makueni district for UNEP through the Igadd Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), Nairobi. Project report presented at Workshop on indigenous knowledge for nature conservation and hydrological disaster management in Kenya, 2005.
