Day: June 21, 2024

The government plans to intensify marine and freshwater research to guide in the exploitation of untapped aquatic resources.

Through the initiative spearheaded by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), the government targets to come up with scientific data and information to guide in the sustainable exploitation of the resources.

Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Salim Mvurya said the ministry has rolled out a roadmap towards the realisation of the sectors full potential through the development of policies and research to harness the resources.

In a speech read by the Director of Fisheries Rodrick Kundu during the closing ceremony of the second Aquatic Resources and Blue Economy Conference (ARBEC II) in Kisumu, the CS underscored the importance of research saying it will help the government to develop a sustainable blue economy while boosting the country’s revenue base.

This, he said, will run alongside the development of a robust fisheries and aquaculture program to ensu
re the country reaps maximum benefits from the blue economy sector.

The initiative, he said includes the construction of fish landing sites at the coast and in Lake Victoria adding that plans were also underway to promote deep sea fishing at the coast.

He added that the government will implement the recommendations of the conference to develop a robust and sustainable blue economy.

‘This conference has been very instrumental in helping us to understand the dynamics of the sector. The government will implement the various research findings out of these conference to help build a sustainable blue economy,’ he said.

KMFRI Board Chairman Juma Safari Mumba said the research body has developed a five year strategic plan (2023-2027) to help achieve the research projections.

The plan, he said was hinged on the Vison 2030, Medium Term Plan IV and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation (BETA) agenda.

He asked the government to allocate resources to KMFRI to drive the research program which hold the key to unlockin
g the blue economy potential.

Speaking during the same occasion, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o reiterated the importance of research to guide in the rolling out of various blue economy initiatives.

‘Investments in the sector must be guided by science and research to ensure sustainable utilisation of resources,’ he said.

He lauded the national government for allocating Sh. 1.5 billion to support various blue economy programs in Kisumu.

The programs among them Kabonyo- Kanyagwal Fisheries project and the construction of Asat and Ogal fish landing sites, he said, will go a long way in boosting the sector in Kisumu.

He further urged the government to open to the public the port of Kisumu which has been refurbished to revive lake transport and inter-country trade.

‘Whereas we thank the government for reviving the port, it remains closed to the public. The port must be made accessible to the public to do business and unlock the region’s potential,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kiambu Deputy Governor Rosemary Kirika, has called on the government to reconsider the existing revenue-sharing formulas for counties and constituencies.

She noted that some leaders were advocating for the implementation of the one-man, one-vote, one-shilling formula as they believed that certain issues were not being sufficiently addressed due to perceived funding inequalities.

Speaking in Kiambu during the groundbreaking ceremony of Kiambu Municipal offices headquarters, the deputy governor noted that there were significant issues with the formula currently being used that required immediate attention.

‘If you hear people speaking out against a formula being implemented by the government, it is a clear indication that something is amiss. Our citizens are knowledgeable and attentive to current affairs.’ She said.

She urged the government to utilize economic experts to reassess the current formula, taking into consideration the increased population of the country and the disparity in residents across dif
ferent regions.

Kirika expressed her concerns as Kenyans flooded the streets of Kiambu to oppose the new taxes outlined in the Finance Bill of 2024, expressing concern over the proposals in the Bill and 2024-25 budget that will increase the tax burden on citizens and raise the cost of living.

The Deputy Governor urged the government, including the Commission for Revenue Allocation (CRA) and the National Treasury, to host public forums to gather feedback on the existing formula for revenue collection and discuss its pros and cons.

‘We urge the CRA and the Treasury to disclose the formula they are using as transparency will help clarify any changes that have occurred and identify areas that may need adjustment in order to address public concerns and put these criticisms to rest.’ She stated.

Kirika suggested that during the exercise, the CRA and relevant officials collaborate with a team of experts.

Phillip Mwaniki, an economist who was present at the event, pointed out that while the formula used by the g
overnment was effective, it needed to be regularly updated to account for the country’s population growth.

‘Given the rapid population growth in the country, certain counties are more densely populated than others. It is crucial that we reevaluate the formula being used.’ He said in agreement with the deputy governor.

Supporters of the one-man, one-vote, one-shilling principle argue that financial resources should be distributed to regions based on their population size in order to align funding with the level of need.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The ministry of labour and social protection is undertaking training for 288 enumerators and 29 supervisors who will register all vulnerable households in Nyamira County.

Nyamira County coordinator for children services, Rasto Omollo while talking to press said this exercise dubbed ‘Enhanced Single Registry (ESR)’ whereby trained enumerators will be going round all listed households to register the vulnerable people and classify their level of vulnerability to enable in proper planning and provision of social protection services for such marginalized groups of people in our country.

The coordinator of children services observed that the last time data for the vulnerable households and people was collected in Kenya was during the 2019 national census but with dynamics of life and effects of the Covid 19 pandemic, many people have become vulnerable in our communities yet their type and level of vulnerability is not yet known.

‘The data collection exercise will therefore give updated information on the numbe
r of vulnerable people in our county as at 2024 detailing their types and levels of vulnerability to help in proper planning by government and partners intending to undertake social protection programmes to alleviate them from continued vulnerability and suffering.’ Omollo stated.

‘The data collected is not targeting any particular exercise to directly benefit those captured in the data register immediately but for future policy making and social protection programme implementation by government and other stakeholders of good will.’ Clarified Omollo.

‘Don’t be cheated that this data capturing exercise is targeting those who will be considered for the cash transfer programme or some unknown financial aid as some have started peddling such rumors in the community. This is purely a data capturing exercise by the government. He warned.

The training of enumerators and supervisors is a countrywide exercise ending on Saturday the 22nd of June and then they commence the enumeration exercise for 21 days from 24th o
f June next week.

Mr. Omollo urged Nyamira residents to cooperate in giving accurate information to enumerators when they visit homes of vulnerable people for accurate and adequate planning by the government.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Murang’a County Assembly intends to promote cultural tourism to expand and generate more revenue from the rich historical sites

Through a motion tabled by Sharlin Wambui, chairperson of youth, culture, and social services committee, the assembly noted the impact of modernization on Kikuyu culture and underscored the importance of preserving cultural sites.

‘Murang’a County has significant cultural sites that can be turned into tourist attractions,’ she said adding: ” by promoting our heritage, we can offer unique tourism experiences and generate income for the county.’

The committee identified key cultural sites in the county including Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga in Gaturi Ward, Kiharu Constituency noting that despite the presence of these assets, the county lacked strategic planning and policy support for cultural tourism.

The committee recommended the creation of policies to protect and promote cultural sites prioritizing Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga and other cultural sites.

Gaturi ward MCA Gathee wa Njeri, su
pporting the motion, called for swift action to utilize cultural tourism in the next financial year and proposed a revenue distribution model with 70 percent of revenue collected going to the county and 30 percent to site custodians.

Nominated MCA Hannah Kamau, on her part suggested Mugoiri pottery yard, Wangu wa Makeri, and Karuri wa Gakure areas as additional cultural attractions.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Digitization of records, operation systems and improved market prices has contributed to revival of dismally performing dairy farmers’ cooperative societies in the various counties in the country.

Urbanization and the changing demographic has also led to high demand for products such as dairy and this has seen more farmers attracted into dairy farming.

Two months ago, the Kenya Dairy Board data showed that the quantity of milk purchased by processors from farmers went up by 27.7 percent in the first quarter of the year as dairy production increased.

Farmers are now able to meet their financial obligations out of the proceeds they earn from the sale of milk within their localities and their environs.

Prof. Wycliffe Aluoch Aboka, Director of the Institute of Cooperative Development at the Cooperative University of Kenya (CUK), says that they have been implementing a digital platform project dubbed, Kenya Rural Transformation Centers Digital Platform (KRTCDP) that connects farmers with agricultural players.

In order to increase productivity, profitability and sustainability of agricultural cooperatives, Aboka explained that the project is integrating small holder farmers with all stakeholders along the agriculture value chain by developing a digital platform that connects them with private sector and public services.

Prof. Aboka who was speaking during a media tour on the promotion of the platform ahead of early adopters said ‘We are linking the dairy cooperatives with various players supplying materials and this include financiers who supply inputs, machinery as well as link them to markets.

‘Agricultural cooperatives face challenges whereby farmers produce but brokers come in and take advantage of them without knowing and therefore this platform will afford them the advantage of being able to get supply of various inputs and other services including providing them with the best markets at the cooperative level

The Pilot project is currently being implemented in four Counties of Narok, Nakuru, Baringo and Ny
andarua on three value chains namely Dairy, Maize and Irish Potatoes.

The director said they have been mapping all the cooperatives in the four counties, dealing with the three-value chains and although they are doing well, there is still so much that needs to be done.

‘We are hopeful that this project is going to make a big difference in the operations and success of the cooperatives in the space,’ Prof. Aboka said.

The establishment of dairy cooperative societies has helped in farmers adopting current farming models, especially even zero grazing and replacing indigenous breeds with exotic dairy cows like the Friesian, Ayrshire, Jersey and Guernsey that are highly productive in terms of milk production.

Nairagie Enkare dairy farmer’s cooperative in Narok County is one of the examples of small dairy that was started in the 1960s, but collapsed in 1971 due to bad leadership and proper planning, but now has become an aggregation centre contributing to the economic growth.

The society chairman Solomon Munke
explained that they again opened their doors in 2014, but also struggled owing to the farmers’ lack of delivering milk due to market and stiff competition.

‘We are now fully operational from 2019 and are happy that the aggregation is able to bring together dairy farmers from this region and surrounding area with farmers benefiting from economies of scale in terms of procuring farm inputs.

Other benefits, he added are direct market of the milk to the big companies as farmers are no longer hawking milk like before as the County Government of Narok has donated to them a milk cooler, thus being able to preserve milk for long.

John Kamau Waweru, Manager of the Tulaga Dairy Factory in Njambini, Nyandarua has also been struggling with the milk production and marketing just like the Enkare cooperative.

The Tulanga cooperative that was also started in 1962 with around 429 members has also come a long way and even had to discard some of the value chains they had started to remain with only dairy because of poor mar
kets.

Kamau said they had been collecting raw milk for sale to processors, but due to outcry by farmers on prices being unpredictable, they have since 2017 initiated investments programmes and engaging in milk pasteurization.

The factory has upgraded and is value adding their milk through a yoghurt processing line, which they installed and now sell in large quantities and this has seen better prices for their produce.

Currently, the factory packs fresh milk, Mala and produces the Ranges yoghurt, with Kamau confirming that the business is now able to support farmers in terms of services such as the agro vets, accessing goods on credit, while maintaining a check off system.

‘From the initial 429 members and now with a growth of over 3,500 members, the volume of the milk is currently at 23,500 per day, but can go up to 26,000 during the peak season,’ he said.

He noted that farmers are now operating with plans, making sound decisions and are organized especially with the weather patterns changing, they are a
ble to get enough forage and plan for their animals.

Kamau said apart from the marketing issues, the biggest challenge they are facing with the value addition is the cost of production and also cost of operation.

Rachel Kiruti, who delivers 30 litres of milk daily to Enkare cooperative said, ‘Embracing modern dairy farming has strengthened women empowerment and reduced numerous conflicts in our families.

Kiruti added that as a woman she now also is able to manage her bills as she does not depend on her husband’s resources.

‘I support home development chores such as increasing the dairy cows and paying school fees for our children and even starting small businesses of groceries and poultry,’ she said.

Spearheaded by the Cooperative University of Kenya and supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) the Kenya rural Transformation Centres Digital Platform (KRTCDP) project will see informed decision making by farmers in access to financing options and broader market opportunities.

Source: Kenya News A
gency

Kwale based Australian mining firm Base Titanium has kicked off in earnest systematic post-mining closure phases and land reclamation plans ahead of cessation of mining operations in December 2024 after resource exhaustion.

Mine closure planning has intensified as the mineral production company nears the end of its life as mineral ore reserves are now fully exhausted.

The Kwale Mine Operation features a high grade ore body with a high value mineral assemblage, rich in rutile, ilmenite and zircon which are all considered critical minerals.

Base Titanium took over the Kwale sand operations from Canada’s Tiomin Resources and started its mining operations in 2013 and shipment of ilmenite, rutile and zircon started in 2014.

The Kwale Mine is accredited as a Kenya Vision 2030 flagship mining project and represents a significant impact on the local and national economy.

Mine closure is a process undertaken when the operational stage of a mine has ended and final decommissioning and mine rehabilitation is being
carried out.

And the government has announced the commencement of public participation activities by the Post-Mine Land Use (PMLU) committee over the utilization of over 6,000 acres of land and other multi-billion shillings’ assets owned by the mining firm that is set to stop its operations in December this year.

In readiness for the start of the public engagement drives in early July, the committee, chaired by Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Elijah Mwangi, has completed stakeholders’ mapping while developing a comprehensive work plan that will guide the processes of collecting and collating views from public, special interest groups, professional associations and other stakeholders.

Speaking at Mafisini village in Msambweni Sub County during the inaugural committee’s introductory meeting with residents of the region, the PS stated that the local residents who were affected by the mining project would be at the heart of the public participation drives.

The PS says mining activities, including prospecting,
exploration, construction, operation, maintenance, decommissioning and repurposing of a mine can impact social and environmental systems in a range of positive and negative ways and called on mining companies to integrate environmental and social impact assessments into mining projects.

He further explained that upon cessation of operations by Base Titanium in the region, the Mining Act 2016 dictated that all assets whether movable or immovable, would revert back to the national and county governments. As a result, the need for the public’s input on how the assets should be utilized for the benefit of the community was critical.

‘The people’s views on what should be done with the assets left by the company for the general benefit of the community are very important. We will come and seek your views on what should be done with these assets,’ said the PS.

According to Base Titanium’s projections, the company will stop mining operations in December 2024. However, the rehabilitative works to restore the integr
ity of the mined land will continue as well as clearing the last of the mineral piles left in the company’s stores. In June 2025, the Special Mining License that was issued to the company is set to expire effectively marking the end of the giant mining firm in the region.

With the expiry of the license, the company will hand over to the government critical assets including vast tracts of land, complex water distribution network, roads, agricultural farms, multiple gigantic water pans, power generation and distribution systems, garages, workshops and mineral processing plants. However, the company has warned that the cycle of rehabilitation process for some degraded areas will not have been completed by time of the exit.

Mr. Simon Wall, the Company’s External Affairs General Manager, says that the process of land healing will take several years before the natural integrity is fully restored and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) grants its approval that the land is suitable for use.

Wall says
the mining firm is closing down its operations due to resource exhaustion and that it’s slowly transitioning into a progressive rehabilitation and mine closure plan.

‘The entire process will take many years. The land needs time to recover and heal and this is something the government needs to look into for not all zones will have been rehabilitated to completion by time our license expires,’ he said.

The PMLU committee is a multi-agency team comprising of various stakeholders drawn from county government, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Members of Kwale County Assembly, representatives from offices of MPs and Senator, Treasury, Labor, Mining, Lands, office of the Attorney General and National Government Administrative Office amongst others.

The views and recommendations collected by the committee will be used to generate a report that will be validated by stakeholders before being handed over to the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affair
s by November this year.

The PS disclosed that the Kwale PMLU is the first ever such committee formed in Kenya under the 2010 Constitution. He added that the public participation activities, the stakeholders’ engagement processes and the recommendations of the final report would be used as the foundational blueprint for other such committees in future.

‘The work of the committee needs to be all inclusive and perfect because this will be a reference point for other such committees,’ he said.

Kwale leaders asked the government to ensure the exercise was transparent and inclusive as part of ensuring full stakeholders’ representation.

Msambweni MP Feisal Abdallah said the committee presented an opportunity to make broad-based recommendations that would see the region continue reaping benefits from the assets left by the company through involvement of the local residents.

‘The committee must strive to put people at the heart of this process. This is the essence of public participation,’ he said.

His sentimen
ts were echoed by Kwale Senator Issa Juma who said that the final report would be judged by how well it captured the stakeholders’ input.

While acknowledging the massive interest the assets of Base Titanium has generated, the senator said the region had full confidence with the committee to deliver a verdict that had the best interest of the community.

‘There is a lot of interest in this process and we want the committee to get as many views as possible to make sure everyone’s voice is heard,’ he said.

A report by Base Titanium has cited three key proposals on post-mine land use including utilization of part of the land for conservation activities while another section is devoted to agri-business. The workshops, garages and other facilities and the equipment therein could be used for training purposes by local technical, educational and vocational training institutions.

Source: Kenya News Agency