Day: May 23, 2024

Rice farmers in Kisumu County are grappling with significant losses estimated at Sh302 million after devastating floods swept through their farms threatening the region’s food security.

Over 4,100 farming communities from key rice-growing areas like Nyando and Kadibo Sub-Counties were worst hit by the relentless floods that have submerged approximately 800 acres of rice plantations.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Kenneth Onyango described the recent floods in Kisumu’s lowland areas as unprecedented, causing substantial crop loss, especially to the rice growers who have borne the brunt of the devastation.

Kabonyo Kanyagwal Ward was the hardest hit, with approximately 1,500 farming households losing 90% of their crops, valued at Sh150 million. In Ahero Ward, around 2,000 farmers suffered total crop losses, estimated at Sh120 million. Meanwhile, in Nyalenda B Ward, farms belonging to about 600 farmers were completely submerged posing losses amounting to Sh32
million.

Additionally, 1,010 households across 11 wards suffered losses amounting to Sh12.8 million after their diverse food crops, including vegetables, sorghum, cowpeas, maize, cassava, beans, potatoes, and green grams, were destroyed.

‘This year’s floods have been devastating, with farms being submerged and massive crops being washed away due to backflow from Lake Victoria and River Nyando bursting its banks,’ Onyango stated during an interview with KNA.

The CECM noted that despite the severe flooding in the region, farmers on higher-ground areas did not experience the same level of crop destruction.

‘The County Government is currently implementing several innovative measures to help farmers recover and build resilience against future disasters,’ Onyango stated.

He noted that the County Government is providing subsidized farm inputs through the E-Voucher system to support farmers affected by the disaster. This system, he says, aims to enhance productivity by making essential farming inputs more afford
able.

‘We have developed an E-voucher system to subsidize farm inputs through selected agro-dealers. For example, we have an MOU with One Acre Fund and other well-established agro-dealers to ensure farmers can obtain farm inputs at a subsidized cost through this system,’ he stated, adding, ‘We are confident that the initiative will contribute to the up-scaling of agricultural production activities within the county.’

Notably, another MOU between NCBA Bank and the Lakeside County will see the bank finance farming activities on behalf of the farmers, especially in rice-growing areas.

‘The Department of Agriculture, along with its partners, has devised a model whereby farmers access funds from the bank to finance specific farming needs, such as hiring equipment. The funds are not credited to farmers’ accounts, instead, the bank directly pays the suppliers and it will then recoup the dispensed funds once the farmers harvest theircrop,’ the CECM explained.

Onyango observed that the initiative would provide fin
ancial flexibility to the rice farmers.

At the same time, he highlighted that the County has initiated plans to introduce an insurance policy to cover farmers against losses caused by natural disasters. This measure aims to enable farmers to recover more swiftly with reduced financial burden.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The number of tourist arrivals in Kisumu has increased significantly following the launch of an aggressive campaign to promote the lakeside county as a destination of choice.

Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o said the campaign dubbed ‘Kisumu My Pride’ has positioned the county as a premier destination showcasing the area’s vibrant culture and key attraction sites.

He said records from the Ministry of Tourism indicated a substantial increase in the number of tourists visiting Kisumu compared to the previous years, highlighting the county’s potential to attract more visitors.

According to the Ministry’s Exit Survey (ES) conducted in April 2023, Kisumu International Airport recorded 1, 820 tourist arrivals during the period under review.

The highest number of arrivals were recorded at the Busia border with 147, 125 tourists followed by Malaba with 47, 132 tourists.

Nyong’o lauded the growth in tourists’ arrivals which he said has impacted positively on the economy, boosted revenue collections and created
job opportunities for the locals.

Speaking during a roundtable meeting with stakeholders in the tourism sector, Nyong’o said despite the positive indicators, Kisumu has the potential to attract more tourists.

‘Ladies and gentlemen, we must grow these numbers. Kisumu can do better and this is why this roundtable meeting is very important for us,’ he said.

Prof. Nyongó said the just concluded Fish Fiesta 2024, which is the county’s signature tourism event, was successful and called for more partnerships with all the stakeholders to attract more tourists.

‘Let us leverage on the networks and relationships established through the Fish Fiesta and the Kisumu My Pride Campaign to drive initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our community,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Judiciary has launched a court-annexed mediation mechanism in Homa Bay County to provide Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) avenues for litigants.

Homa Bay Chief Magistrate Jacinta Orwa said the mediation process would decongest the court and reduce backlog of cases.

Speaking Wednesday during the launch of the ADR, Orwa said some disputes like inheritance, land cases and other civil cases could be handled out of court with arbitration by a third party.

She said this would give the courts time to handle major cases such as murder and defilement.

Orwa said it would also enable the public to appreciate the importance of solving some cases without involving the courts.

‘The mediators will help the people since it is a cost-effective, flexible, confidential process. This will enable them not to use their resources in court but the mediators will be paid by the court,’ she said.

She said for one to be a mediator, he or she must have at least one degree in mediation, good communication skills, confidenti
ality, and also preserve the relationships of different parties.

Homa Bay High Court Judge Kiari Waweru said that the initiative was a good move that would help sort out small disputes and improve the county’s economy.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The National Government in partnership with the office of Homa Bay County Women Representative Dr Joyce Osogo alias Bensuda has procured 8000 bales of sanitary pads for adolescent girls in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools in the County.

The pads which will be distributed free of charge will be distributed to girls in schools across the eight constituencies.

The Women Rep launched the program ahead of the dispatch of each sub-county’s consignment for distribution to schools.

Dr Osogo began by leading transportation of the pads consignments to Homa Bay, Rangwe and Ndhiwa Sub-county headquarters.

She said the programme will improve the academic performance of the girls.

‘Some girls from financially challenged families fail to go to school during menstruation period for lack of pads. This project is going to solve the problem and improve their academic performance,’ Dr Osogo said.

Osogo said the programme will also reduce teen pregnancies in the county.

According to the latest Kenya Health and Demograp
hic Survey, teen pregnancies rate in Bay County stands at 23.2per cent compared to the national prevalence which is 14.8 per cent.

Dr Osogo attributed the teen pregnancies to lack of sanitary pads in which some men lure school girls into sex in order to buy them towels.

‘This programme is also going to cushion our girls from sex pests,’ Osogo said.

She said her administration is committed to promoting education to uplift the local economy.

The Woman Rep said her office was sponsoring needy students for courses offered by the National Industrial Training Authority and Export Processing Zones.

‘Education is a key priority in my leadership. I have various education programmes to ensure our young people become productive in future,’ Dr Osogo said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The County Government of Nakuru plans to tap into the gig economy to grow employment opportunities for the youth.

Chief Officer for ICT, E-Government and Public Communication Ms Catherine Changwony noted that over the last decade, the gig economy has grown leading to more accessible, competitive and consistent job opportunities creating a potential to reduce unemployment.

Ms Changwony indicated that the devolved unit’s administration has also identified ICT as a key enabler in the achievement of economic pillars and a critical factor in driving economic, social and political development.

The Chief Officer who spoke at a policy stakeholder’s engagement workshop focusing on the impact of the gig Economy in Nakuru County said Governor Susan Kihika’s administration was working on various programs to enhance Online Employment Skills to enhance youth’s employability and productivity in the gig economy.

‘Nakuru County is committed to partnering with experts in IT space to enhance digital transformation, improve
service delivery and create employment opportunities for the youth in the county,’ said the chief officer.

The Chief Officer said the 20-24 and 25-29 age groups continued to record the highest proportion of unemployment.

She stated that with an estimated 82 per cent of Kenya’s working population engaged in the informal sector, digital platforms are providing a critical bridge to formal employment.

‘As a whole, the gig economy is helping young Kenyans transition into more accessible competitive, and stable jobs by providing them with new sources of income,’ observed the Chief Officer.

According to the 2022 Tifa survey commissioned by the Ajira Digital Program, there are over 1.9 million people working online today in Kenya.

According to a report by the Digital Economy Task Force, Kenya’s gig economy is currently valued at $109 million supporting over 36,000 gig workers.

More than 1,576 young people have acquired jobs from the pilot e-government program through the Judiciary, and over 110,476 young people
have been linked to work in the private sector.

The Economic Survey 2023 shows that the age groups between 20-24 years and 25-29 years continue to record the highest proportion of the unemployed at 16.3 per cent and 9.1 per cent, respectively.

Gig Economy refers to a labour market characterized by independent, temporary work on a short-term or a task-by-task basis, and payment is received upon completion of these tasks. This differs from traditional employment which is characterized by set working hours or contractual employment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Nambale Member of Parliament Geoffrey Mulanya has assured the residents that theatre services would soon be available at Nambale sub-county hospital.

Speaking at St. Mary’s DEB Secondary School Nambale, Mulanya said that he has been assured by the doctor in-charge that the equipment is there and soon it would be in operation.

‘The doctor has assured me that the equipment is there, water is available and the theatre is ready for operation, only a few equipment is yet to arrive,’ he said adding that the delay has been caused by the county government.

He told the residents that they would no longer be going to Busia Referral Hospital for operations.

Regarding essential government services, the law maker said he was working to ensure Nambale gets Huduma Centre.

‘Transport going to Busia for Huduma Centre services is Sh400 which is too difficult for our people to afford,’ he said.

Mulanya promised to initiate developments that would help his constituents citing roads, as one of the sector especially those th
at lead to learning institutions.

‘Several roads here are under the county government. People who are using them are the ones who voted for me and they deserve good services. I will use proper channels to ensure that I maintain the roads,’ he said citing Tangakona-Nasira road which he was maintaining though it is under Busia county government.

The law maker challenged other leaders to initiate their own projects and develop them instead of boasting about his projects adding that his aim was to ensure he worked towards changing the lives of his people.

He was speaking during the issuing of bursary cheques in Nambale constituency where a total number of 17, 000 students from four wards benefitted with bursaries worth of Sh43 million.

He also commissioned an iconic 800 capacity multipurpose hall at Sikinga secondary school in Bukhayo East Ward.

Source: Kenya News Agency