Day: June 14, 2024

Meet Viola Chepngetich, one of the participants at the Tea Belt Technical Vocational Education Training Conference that was held at Kericho Township Technical Vocational Educational and Training Institute recently.

She was among the best local innovators who showcased their inventions at the conference. She had one of the most brilliant inventions, a homemade pesticide developed specifically for use in tea cultivation.

The pesticide is composed of natural ingredients such as aloe vera, lemon and white ashes which represents a significant step towards sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Chepngetich’s initiative addresses the growing need for organic alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides which can have detrimental effects on both environment and human health.

‘I began my research in 2019, conducting tests in Ainamoi, Kericho County and Limuru in Kiambu. To ensure its effectiveness, I first tested the pesticide on kales (Sukuma Wiki) before applying it to tea plants. The r
esults were effective with the pesticides proving to be 80 percent effective in controlling pests. This success highlights the significance of my solution to enhance tea farming while promoting ecological balance,’ said Chepngetich.

She said the pesticide can be used to control all crop pests but it is most effective on aphids and mosquito bird pests.

Chepngetich’s work will go a long way in enhancing the entrepreneurial quest of the farmers to produce quality tea for market and become profitable through reduction of pests that affect tea production at a lower cost.

The youthful innovator who has yet to roll out the organic product lamented that she encountered myriad challenges owing to the high cost of packaging materials for her products.

She further pointed out that she plans to take her innovation to Kenya Health Plant Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) for further testing and advice.

Chepngetich, who is a tutor at Township Vocational Tra
ining College said she is proud of her innovation which is in the formative stages and hopes to advance her scientific research in order to provide much-needed solutions to farmers’ production challenges.

Currently, she said the organic pesticide is still undergoing further research and is being used in the actual control of pests on the college farm and by farmers living around the institution.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The 3rd edition of the Kenya Meat Expo held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) has brought together stakeholders, exhibitors and the general public to discuss the revolution of the meat industry for bottom-up economic transformation.

Speaking at the event, Livestock Development PS Jonathan Mueke said that livestock generates about 12 percent of the gross domestic product, which the department believes should grow to 20 percent in order to bring significant growth to the livestock sector.

‘As we embark on commercialising this sector, we have taken a value chain approach so that we can bring all actors from production, aggregation, value addition and manufacturing all the way to the market,’ stated Mueke.

The PS emphasised that the Department is working with all these actors as one unit to create jobs and develop a valuable export development plan in the livestock sector.

Citing the Department’s journey of commercialising the meat sector from the market, Mueke reckoned that they discove
red a huge market globally for animal-based protein, which consistently demands quantity and quality meat products.

‘As Kenya, we are strategically placed to achieve this because we already have the resources including 22 million cattle, over 35 million goats and 25 million sheep,’ he added.

Further, the PS disclosed that he had worked with the key stakeholders and developed a strategic intervention in the production sector to ensure they produce for the market in a sustainable manner.

He stressed the need to improve the breeding of animals, citing the Department’s specific intervention in developing a national balance sheet to monitor the amount of feed being produced.

‘We have developed a livestock bill that is very progressive and that will commercialise the livestock sector,’ announced the PS, adding that it has already been passed by the Cabinet and the Attorney General and is awaiting to be passed by parliament.

Mueke revealed that in the next few months, the Department will enact a system for live
stock identification whereby they will register all livestock, track the feeding and nutrition regime and control diseases of the livestock.

This system, he assured, will solve the issue of cattle rustling and also ensure pastoralists get premium payments for their livestock.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Millet farming in Busia has received a major boost following the introduction of high-yielding millet varieties to subsistence growers in an effort to scale up production and boost the county’s food security.

The programme, supported by the Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication (Cbcc), the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), will benefit over 5000 farmers after it is rolled out at the start of 2025.

Already, the programme has been successfully piloted among selected farmers in Teso South subcounty, where selected farmers are propagating certified seeds ready for market.

It will involve planting high-yielding finger millet instead of the traditional millet varieties, which farmers have consistently grown over the years.

According to Emmanuel Eshitemi, an agricultural officer at Cbcc, the primary objective of this project is to adopt new millet varieties which have a fast maturity rate and are drought-resistant to
cope with the changing climate globally.

This will help meet market demand with the growing population and current advocacy by nutritionists for diabetic and hypertension patients to use products from Millets.

‘After research and market survey, we intend to reach out to at least 5,000 farmers in Busia County to be able to produce the millet crop whose demand has increased in recent days,’ said Eshitemi.

‘The key objective of this programme is to support farmers in the production of millet using certified seed, and we are targeting both youth and women.’

Farmers piloting the programme have already planted the millet and are set to harvest before the end of the year in areas around Adung’osi, Akobwait, Simba Chai, and Olepito.

KALRO Alupe has the mandate to supply the seedlings to farmers, whereas KEPHIS has the sole mandate to ensure the standards are not compromised for the benefit of farmers and consumers.

The aggregation centres also act as learning centres where farmers regularly meet to exchange ide
as on how to better produce the crop.

‘We will empower our farmers by encouraging them to use certified seed,’ Eshitemi said.

Farmers piloting the programme told KNA that with the adoption of high-yielding millet varieties, small-scale growers will get the opportunity to make more money with increased production.

Martha Oporia, a farmer from Adung’osi, said local millet breeds come with low yields, which lowers the commercial benefits of millet production.

‘Initially, I used to plant local millet varieties, which are planted by broadcasting. We rarely applied fertiliser, and therefore the yields were low,’ Oporia, a seasoned millet farmer, said.

In Busia, millet is the third most important cereal after sorghum and maize in terms of area under production, covering a total land area of 37,000 hectares, according to the 2019 Census.

The crop is primarily grown for its grain, which serves as food, providing over 65 per cent of the carbohydrate requirements and 30 per cent of the daily calorie intake for hum
ans.

Millet is pocket-friendly when it comes to processing and storage, with most farmers now sourcing ready-market from breweries.

‘The choice of seed is the primary determiner for the final product. I encourage my fellow farmers to start planting certified seed from KALRO because once you plant and you have followed all the measures, you will get maximum yield compared to the local breed,’ Oporia added.

The county government of Busia has been at the forefront of supporting the revitalization of agriculture to help incorporate a holistic approach into the sector.

‘The improved varieties not only withstand the dry weather but are also resistant to diseases and have higher nutritional value. They give better yields,’ said Simplicius Mukoko, the CEC for Agriculture.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Cabinet Secretary Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Salim Mvurya has chaired an engagement forum involving stakeholders and members of the public to discuss and propose development projects for Mombasa County that will form the basis for the fourth medium-term plan for 2023-2027.

The Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP 4) is a master plan launched by the government to accelerate Kenya’s progress towards becoming a newly industrialised and middle-income country.

Among priority projects in MTP 4 for Mombasa County are the Dongo Kundu bypass and the expansion of the railway, among others.

‘We have checked the medium-term plan, Kenya kwanza plan and the county development plan so that we can realise seamless implementation at the two levels of government,’ said Mvurya.

The CS said the plan is aimed at raising living standards by creating more investment and employment opportunities for citizens and investors.

He noted that there are various projects already in progress in Mombasa County implemented by
the government to aid in the development plan.

These include the Mombasa-Malindi road which is in the first phase of the project, with the second phase starting from Likoni to Lungalunga.

Mvurya noted that the road will go all the way to Bagamoyo in a bid to open Kenya to more trade with other East African countries.

Another project is the expansion of railway, parking and extension where a commuter rail will be constructed to aid travellers who use the Standard Gauge Railway.

He said the Jomvu-Mariakani road is now under construction and soon a dual carriageway will be launched by the president.

According to Mvurya, plans are underway to connect the South Coast and the island through the construction of a bridge worth Sh260 billion.

He also observed that the Dongo Kundu bypass is almost complete with the project aimed at reducing congestion at the ferry crossing channel.

Mvurya stated that the national government has also made a commitment to matters of health care, which is evident in the MTP 4 plan,
with the government collaborating with the county government to facilitate the sector.

He noted that the rollout of the Social Insurance Fund will ensure quality healthcare for all Kenyans, including low-income earners with the registration exercise ongoing.

The CS said the county government and local national administration represented by the County Commissioner will fast-track the process to ensure seamless registration.

He said the government also plans to construct another referral hospital that will complement the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital that serves the coast region.

Mvurya stated that the executive also addressed the expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with other airports in the country also put into consideration in revamping the transport infrastructure.

On matters of housing, the CS said that a social housing project by the Kenya Kwanza administration is meant to help low-income earners own decent housing.

‘Apart from the ongoing housing project, there is an u
rban upgrade for which the president launched a Sh46 billion programme, a phase two of the urban programme implemented in counties,’ he said.

The CS said the housing project will create employment opportunities with women given an equal chance of employment as men.

He added that the government has constructed Ronald Ngala Tourism College in Kilifi to give youth a chance to train on matters of tourism that thrive on the coast.

He noted that this is an ongoing programme that a number of youths are benefiting from.

He said the Ministry of Education is now adequately facilitated with more than Sh600 billion to make sure they comprehensively implement the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) programme but also have implementation of the various levels of infrastructure including the financing of public universities.

Mvurya noted that security at the beaches is also enhanced following the installation of street lights.

He further urged those who incite the legislators on the passing of the Finance Bill to come o
n board and air their views through public participation which is a democratic right for all Kenyans.

‘Government services can be well provided if we allow legislatures to pass the bill that will help in tax collection. The law gives them a chance to discuss and remove a clause that they see as unfit, and that is why there is public participation,’ he said.

He added that it is impossible to grow the economy if there is no Finance Act that will help in mobilising the collection of resources.

Mvurya also announced that the fees for Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) course at Bandari Maritime Academy have been lowered from Sh35,000 to Sh15,000.

He said the government has allocated funds to spearhead development in the blue economy sector.

‘150 boats have been bought to help our fishermen; we also have five other boats for deep-sea fishing,’ he added.

He noted that the government will also build a landing site at Kindogo worth Sh150 million.

Mvurya said they will ex
pand Bandari Maritime Academy to accommodate more students and also comply with international standards.

‘We will equally launch a survival training centre at the facility, with Sh2.4 billion set aside for the project,’ he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A day after the tabling of the Sh3.9 trillion budget for the financial year 2024-2025 by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economic Planning, political leaders and the residents of Murang’a County have expressed their concerns, arguing that if the budget is adopted by legislators in the National Assembly in its entirety, it will continue to hurt Kenyans, who are already overburdened by the high costs of living.

Led by Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Maina, who spoke in Gatunyu, Gatanga sub-county, during a NGAAF economic empowerment forum, they noted that some clauses in the Finance Bill that were offloaded in the budgetary estimates will make the lives of most Kenyans unbearable, considering that most of them cannot afford to buy some essential commodities that were hiked in the budget.

‘I urge the Parliamentary Committee on Finance led by Molo MP Kuria Kimani to relook at the grievances raised by Kenyans for consideration with the aim of expunging them before adoption by legislators in the Nation
al Assembly,’ she said, adding that,

‘Bread was previously VAT-exempt, and now a 16% tax on the commodity has been imposed, and that will make it hard for Kenyans as bread is the most readily available food that finds its way to the table of most Kenyans.’

We support the government’s efforts, and while the country can only grow through taxes, the bill must be amended before being passed to expunge the punitive clauses,’ she added.

While expressing similar concerns, Senator Joe Nyutu said the proposed increase in tax on fuel, taxes levied on motor vehicles, and their spare parts will drive many Matatu operators out of business.

‘If this happens, it will have a ripple effect on many Kenyans who use matatus as their mode of transport as the operators will hike fares. Let the finance bill be amended,’ he observed.

On their part, the residents say they are reeling from heavy taxation from the government, and if more taxes are levied on them, they will be heavily burdened.

One of the residents, Mary Muthoni K
ariuki, who is a farmer from the constituency, disclosed that she is particularly concerned with the proposed levy on bread.

‘We cannot currently afford to buy bread, and we term it a luxury; how about when it increases? She posed.

‘We urge the government to consider lowering the cost of basic commodities instead,’ she added.

Muthoni also noted that the proposed levies on motor vehicles, which also include fuel, will have a resultant effect on their farming activities, and it will be hard for them to take their farm produce to the markets.

Another resident who is a content creator, George Nguku, noted that the industry has attracted and employed many young people, and thus imposing a levy on the proceeds they earn from content creation will sound like a death knell to the industry.

‘I have employed four youths to help in the production and dissemination of my work, and I am afraid that if a 20 percent levy is imposed on proceeds from content creation, I will do away with two of them, rendering them joble
ss, as it will be difficult for me to maintain them,’ he said.

He also termed the proposed increase in the charges on money transfers as punitive, as it will push the costs of transacting businesses by most Kenyans who are at the bottom of the pyramid.

They urged the Members of Parliament to consider expanding the tax net by reaching non-compliers instead of overtaxing the already overburdened tax payers.

During the NGAAF event, all 15 primary schools from Mugumoini ward received a 5000-litre water tank each, while seven self-help groups that applied and qualified for NGAAF grants received their cheques worth Sh100,000 each.

Further, all 1263 girls in 15 primary schools in grades 5, 6, and JSS were supported with 8 packets of sanitary towels, totaling 10104 packets.

The 750 elders present also received blankets and food essentials for all the attendees.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government has prioritised improving the leather and dairy sectors in Narok County so as to boost the income the pastoralist community gets from their livestock.

Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya said when the two sectors are revamped, the people will have a better fortune as it will create job opportunities and boost income for the residents who entirely depend on livestock.

‘The Bottom-Up Economic model aims at addressing the real issues that affect the common man. If we get the leather and dairy industries right, we will have captured the real needs of the people,’ she said.

The CS spoke at the Zebu hotel on Wednesday during the fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP) dissemination forum, where she reiterated that the exercise has been very consultative as many people have been involved through the public participation forums.

She underscored the need for the county and national governments to work in collaboration so as to implement meaningful projects that will boost
the livelihood of the people.

Tuya, who hails from Narok County, revealed that the leather industry built by the government through the Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority (ENSDA) will be revamped to produce finished leather products and create more jobs.

‘We are sitting on a gold mine. We want to exploit the resources we have so that everybody can benefit. Currently, our farmers are getting zero value for their skins and hides, which should not be the case,’ she said.

The CS called on Members of Parliament to pass the Finance Bill, saying the many ambitious projects that the government is targeting to accomplish need funds.

Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu lamented that the dairy farmers in the county were selling their milk at a throwaway price of Sh30 per litre because there is no milk processing plant in the county.

He revealed that the two levels of government are working together to build a mega milk plant in Limanet, Narok central subcounty, where the farmers will be selling their milk at a higher
price.

The governor also divulged that the government is building ten modern markets in the county to improve the working environment of vegetable vendors, commonly known as ‘mama mboga.’

The areas targeted for market construction are: Uhuru market, Ntulele, Ololulunga, Suswa, Emurrua Dikirr, Kilgoris, Olchoro, and Ewaso Nyiro markets.

Other major projects that the county wants to promote are: Ushanga curios to boost women’s beadwork; construction of the Narok-Bomet 88-kilometre, 132 KV transmission line; and promotion of Maa cultural festivals.

He said the fourth MTP is in line with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and expressed his commitment to ensuring that it is actualized so that the people can reap the benefits.

Ntutu added that the county aims to boost the county revenue from Sh1.2 billion to Sh3.2 billion in the next financial year.

The forum was attended by Tourism Principal Secretary John Olotua, Narok Executive Member for Finance David Muntet, Narok County Commissioner Kipkech L
otiatia, Speaker of the Narok County Assembly Davis Dikirr, a host of Members of County assembly and heads of departments, among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency