Category: General

Addis Ababa: President Sahlework Zewde, Prosperity Party Vice President Temesgen Tiruneh and other high ranking government officials visited the East Africa Pastoralist Expo in Addis Ababa.

The expo is organized by the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) under the theme of “Pastoralist: The East African Mosaic.”

The expo provides a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and policy advocacy to enhance the well-being of pastoralists in the region.

The main objective of the expo, which drew more than 1,200 pastoralists from the IGAD region, is to promote trade and regional developmental integration.

The expo also aims at ensuring shared and mutual development among countries in the region by mitigating the challenges of the pastoral communities.

Furthermore, the expo celebrates the rich cultural heritage, resilience, and sustainable development of pastoral communities in addition to showcasing new heights of collaboration representing a crucial step towar
ds greater regional integration.

The expo is meant to recognize the effect of pastoralists in the horn of Africa in terms of production and sustainable management of ecosystems and vast dry land, it was learned.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice (OAGandDOJ) has conducted a stakeholder’s forum at KICC to validate its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan.

The input of the stakeholders will be considered and incorporated into the Plan to meet and exceed the expectations of its internal and external stakeholders, as well as the general public.

As an enabler to all government entities in realizing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the Solicitor General (SG), Shadrack J. Mose, who officially opened the forum, committed that in line with its mandate, OAGandDOJ, will review and draft laws touching on BETA priorities.

He informed stakeholders that the OAGandDOJ had identified four (4) key result areas for the performance metrics that have critical impact on the achievement of the overall strategic mission for the OAGandDOJ.

The Solicitor General said identified key result areas include Legal Services; Governance, Legal Training and Constitutional Affairs; Leadership and Integrity; and Ge
neral Administration, Planning and Operations.

He added that the Office had also identified ten (10) other strategic objectives and specific strategies, as well as, specific activities to be implemented in the plan period.

The validation forum was attended by representatives from MDAs, Civil Society Organizations and Heads of Departments from the OAGandDOJ.

The stakeholders have up to 28th of February, 2024, to provide their input to be considered and incorporated into the Strategic Plan, before it is launched.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Potato farmers in Meru County are upbeat after the unveiling of a new cold room storage facility that ensures the produce minimizes wastage and attracts good prices by being sold at the right time.

Eliud Mugambi, a potato farmer from Ngusishi in Buuri West sub-county where the facility is located said the move was long overdue, as farmers were previously forced to sell potatoes at a throwaway price fearing that they would rot due to poor storage.

‘During the harvesting period, we have many brokers all over the area who buy potatoes at their preferred prices. Farmers usually have no option but to sell them at poor prices lest they will all rot due to lack of proper storage,’ said Mr Mugambi.

He expressed his contentment with the commissioning of the new facility by President William Ruto last week during his development tour of the area adding that farmers will now be getting the value for their labour.

Fridah Kathure, another farmer from Timau said she will increase the acreage under potatoes now that th
ey will be storing their potatoes safely and selling them when they attract good prices.

‘We will now get back to our farms and work hard without any fears of losses following the commissioning of the cold room facility that we have been yearning for,’ said Kathure.

With a capacity to store 2,000 metric tonnes of potatoes per year, the state-of-the-art facility incorporates cutting-edge technology to maintain optimal temperatures for the stored potatoes.

It is expected to serve more than 14,000 farmers, ensure minimal wastage, and incorporate advanced grading and sorting equipment, enhancing the competitiveness of the potatoes in both local and international markets.

Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Simon Chelugui who was present during the launch said that the cold storage project is a testament to the potential of Kenya’s productive capacity and the Government’s commitment to creating sustainable solutions for MSMEs in the agricultural sector, and especially towards achieving food security
.

The cold storage facility, part of a Shs300 million investment covering Kisii and Nyandarua counties, aims to minimize post-harvest losses, ensure the economic viability of potato farming, and create competitive and sustainable jobs along the value chain.

The three projects collectively contribute to increasing the income of smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs engaged in potato and vegetable production.

Other government officers present during the commissioning included Agriculture and Livestock Development CS Mithika Linturi, State Department for MSMEs Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni, Micro Small Enterprise Authority board members led by the Chairman Mr. James Mureu, Director General Henry Rithaa and the Meru County Governor Kawira Mwangaza.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Agriculture is one of the biggest sectors in the country, generating over 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a major source of employment in both the formal and informal sectors in Kenya.

However, the raging debate on the use of inorganic and organic fertilizers has been one of the greatest contentious talks and a cause of concern among Kenyan farmers.

The large-scale farmers have continued to prefer the use of inorganic fertilizers, while their compatriots, the small-scale farmers, have heavily relied on organic fertilizers.

Even though the preference of usage between inorganic and organic fertilizers among small and large-scale farmers is wide, each has its own merits and limitations.

Large-scale farmers have always quoted the ‘labour intensive’ as one of the major reasons for inorganic fertilizer usage.

However, according to Migori County Kenya National Federation of Farmers (KEFFA) Chairperson, Peter Chacha, the labor-intensive, term used by large-scale farmers, is a scapegoat for the no
n-commitment to conserving the environment.

He notes that the use of inorganic fertilizer leads to quick yields, but farmers always focus on the advantage, forgetting that it increases the acidity of the soil, reduces soil fertility, and leads to the consumption of harmful chemicals by human beings.

Chacha, a farmer by profession, who cultivates more than 40 acres using organic fertilizer near the Kendege Technical, Training Institute (TTI) in Kuria East Sub-County, says that the usage of organic fertilizer can be by both large and small-scale farmers.

He believes that patience is what is lacking from the large-scale farmers in their daily productive work. Even though the labor-intensive term is used to describe a large amount of labour needed to produce goods and services with a high proportion of labour costs, Chacha notes that motivation and commitment to the usage of organic fertilizer, are what is required to save soil fertility and productivity.

‘Initially I used to plant my crops using inorganic fe
rtilizers that proved to be quite expensive and sometimes unavailable due to the huge demands,’ affirmed Chacha during an exclusive interview with KNA recently.

The farmer who cultivates more than 10 different crops with a maturity period of between three to six months, says that organic fertilizer is quite cheap in the long run, as farming practices are a continuous venture.

He affirms that although the usage of organic fertilizer has a slower rate of crop maturity, the benefits are enormous.

Chacha acknowledges that organic fertilizer helps to treat soil fertility by rectifying soil PH and soil molecular structures.

He adds that the crops produced by organic fertilizers are healthy for human and animal consumption, and user friendly to the ecosystem, and soil conservation.

For a long time in the Kuria region, the cultivation of Tobacco exposed the soils to acidity from the chemicals and fertilizers that were used to grow the crop.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco C
ontrol, addresses on environmental concerns, shows that tobacco crops deplete soil nutrients by taking up more nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, than other major crops.

Chacha stresses that it is important for the nation to adopt proper agricultural farming methods, to ensure prosperity and the success of healthy living is assured.

The KEFFA Official in collaboration with organizations such as Soil Fortify, Sidco, Earthforth, and Kenya Seed Company, has been engaging the surrounding community and students, by organising agricultural shows and demos at his Kendege farm, to teach the importance of utilising organic farming.

He has called upon the education stakeholders in the County to partner with environmentalists and farmers like him, to engage the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) learners, to appreciate farm productivity, through organic fertilizer usage.

‘I will continue to train the communities and learners on the importance of organic fertilizer, to promote healthy living through my kilimo biasha
ra intiative’, says Chacha.

Earthforth Official, Thomas Ogalo, whose organisation deals with soil fertility, has urged farmers to normalize using organic fertilisers in their farms.

Ogalo who is also a soil scientist, disclosed recently that due to high market demand, the majority of farmers are fond of using inorganic fertilizers, because of their fast growth rate without considering its side effects.

He explained that Soil Fortify, whose active ingredient is 6.65 percent Humic Acids based derived from Leonardite on sweetcorn, is an organic fertilizer that can amend the soil and bring back the nutrients that were lost.

Ogalo added that organic fertilizers like soil fortify, are cost-saving because the farmer only applies once, with no need for top dressing.

The soil scientist also affirmed that Earthforth was in the process of implementing modern agriculture products tailored to help CBC learners appreciate, the farming sector in schools.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya registered a decline of 1.5 percent in the overall consumer spending index between July and September 2023.

This was disclosed Tuesday when ICEA LION Asset management launched the ILAM consumer spending index themed ‘Consumer spending relatively resilient the third quarter of 2023.’

Speaking at the event at ICEA LION, asset management head of research (HR) Judd Murigi stated that the index is aimed at tracking consumer spending so as to gauge how the real economy is trending.

He stated that it was based on interviews of 500 consumers and 100 retail businesses in the greater Nairobi area.

Murigi further added that the individual sub-index fell by 3 percent between July and September 2023, while the retail business sales sub-index remained broadly flat in the same period, which resulted in a decline of 1.5 percent in the overall consumer spending index (which is weighed 50 percent by changes in individual spending and 50 percent by changes in retail business sales).

‘This was a relatively resilient
level of consumer spend in the 3rd quarter considering the perception that disposable incomes had reduced,’ stated Murigi.

However, he stated that many consumers attributed the additional spending to an increase in the cost of items purchased rather than higher income.

‘While all categories (executive, skilled and unskilled) had reduced spending levels in the third quarter of 2023, the lower income consumer segment had the largest proportion which is 9 percent experienced reduced personal consumption expenditure in that period,’ added Murigi.

He stated that 37 percent of individuals indicated that their income did not change between 2022 and 2023, while 38 percent experienced a decline in income and 24 percent saw their income rise between 2022 and 2023.

Additionally, the large business segment had the largest improvement of 25 percent in sales trends in the third quarter of 2023, followed by the micro business segment at 7 percent better sales trend stated the HR.

He added that the medium-sized business
es segment recorded a fall of 18 percent in sales trends in the same period, while the small businesses segment had similar levels of sales trends in the third quarter.

‘Various business sectors including retail stores, clothing and apparel, food and drink outlets, as Well as house fittings and accessories, recorded broadly similar trends in sales between July and September 2023, with no major divergence’ noted Murigi.

He stated that the analysis on individual spending trends indicated that 44 percent of consumers had a positive mindset regarding their spending while 56 percent had a negative mindset on their spending trends.

On the business side, 48 percent of businesses appeared to hold positive sentiments regarding sales trends, while 45 percent had negative sentiments regarding their sales, notes HR.

ICEA LION asset management CEO, Einstein Kihanda summarized that consumer spending levels remained relatively resilient between the second and third quarters of 2023.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Nyeri County Public Service board has promoted 939 employees of the County government.

According to the Board Chairman, Paul Kimondo, the number represents a quarter of the entire County workforce.

The move clears part of a huge backlog of County government workers who have been due for promotion since November 2023. Kimondo noted that the exercise also addresses stagnation for some of the County staff who were last promoted in the year 2009.

‘I am happy to say that this exercise has addressed historical injustices and stagnation of some of our officers, some of whom were last promoted in 2009. These promotions have also addressed succession management issues because certain officers will now be in a position to fit in some new roles of a higher position,’ said Kimondo during a ceremony held at the Wambungu Farm, where the staff were issued with their promotion letters.

Additionally, Kimondo noted that the County will be spending Sh172 million in the 2023/2024 financial year to promote and reward sta
ff.

He said that the promotions had affected officers in all 15 County Departments with the health services getting the lion’s share, where 699 officers were promoted.

According to the breakdown from the Health Department, some of the biggest winners were 254 nurses, 80 clinical officers, 72 Public Health Officers, 63 Medical Laboratory Officers and 61 Medical Officers.

Other County Departments that received a significant share of the job promotions from the board were Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries (77), Education and Training 40 where 34 are Technical and Vocational Education and Training Tutors, and 30 Finance and Accounting Officers.

The enhanced pay perks for the 939 will be backdated to December 1, 2023, and the affected staff are expected to start receiving the new pay at the end of this month.

Speaking, during the ceremony, Kimondo urged the newly promoted staff to double their efforts and improve service delivery.

‘Since this has happened, we as the County employees of Nyeri need to reci
procate the gesture by working harder and smarter to improve service delivery to the citizenry of Nyeri,’ he said.

Also present at the event were Nyeri Governor, Mutahi Kahiga and his Deputy, Warui Kinaniri. Nyeri Senator, Wahome Wamatinga also graced the occasion.

On his part, the County boss revealed plans to set aside Sh35 million in the 2024/2025 Financial Year to cater for additional promotions.

He at the same time challenged the staff to use the opportunity to advance their skills through a series of training opportunities that the County government had lined up for them. Additionally, Kahiga asked the newly promoted officers to improve service delivery to the residents.

‘We have agreed that starting this coming financial year we are going to provide some money in the budget for promotions so that we don’t have people with pending promotions. It is my hope that these promotions will be reflected in the general employee performance of the County staff. It is expected that the employees will be motiva
ted to increase their productivity and deliver better services to the citizenry,’ said Kahiga.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Ndagani Karingani area Chief Charles Njagi has cautioned vendors to remove unauthorized structures from road reserves terming them as a threat to safety and security.

Speaking in his office in Ndagani, the Chief encouraged traders in the market to remove stalls built along the roads, adding that the structures will be forcibly removed if they fail to vacate.

‘We have warned traders against building structures along the road several times, and if they refuse to vacate, we will have to remove they by force leading to unnecessary losses,’ he said.

He noted that the stalls are treacherous and can lead to accidents from road blockage and careless collision from motorists.

Njagi also pointed out that those kiosks have become a hiding place for criminals whose aim is to kidnap people at night.

The administrator warned them to remove their properties in advance before they officially start the demolition process for safety purposes.

‘We will not spare anything during the demolitions, so l am advising traders t
o remove their items in advance,’ he said.

Njagi urged traders to acquire licenses before opening a kiosk, adding that no one will be allowed to run a business illegally.

Source: Kenya News Agency