Day: August 28, 2021

The academia, industry and government have expressed their quest to forge a collaboration that will see Kenya propel industrial development and empower the youth economically.
The Principal Secretary State Department of for Industrialization Amb. Kirimi Kaberia said the collaboration between the university-industry-government is increasingly gaining prominence the world over as it has proved to be the most effective, efficient and preferred development model.
He said through the model, industrial needs and strategies have been identified and defined thereby culminating in spin-off and start-up enterprises, as well as created life projects and the transfer of latest scientific research to industry.
Kaberia said there is need for academia to address the skills need for industry and provide solutions to the challenges confronting the society, to reach out to policy makers and provide fact-based policy briefs which inform effective policy formulation.
He said “through such engagements, industry and government should step into the halls of academia and test policies and innovations while sharing suggestions on how academia can improve course content and quality in response to changing times.”
The PS was speaking during this year’s International Youth Day Celebrations 2021 organized by the State Department for Industrialization in conjunction with the University of Nairobi that was held at the University.
He said the engagement was important as it would convert the university into an environment of providers of ideas and opportunities that create products, jobs and solutions to the challenges facing the society, to improve course content and quality other than a source of job seekers.
Kaberia who challenged the academia to join the industry-government in initiating a ‘County Entrepreneurship Monitor’ which would compare entrepreneurial activities among the counties in Kenya, noted that the collaboration would enhance socio-economic development, job creation and eradicate poverty.
“There is need to encourage the drive to venture into business as a strategy of increasing the number of business that are conceived, start, grow and expand,” added Kaberia.
He said the loss of jobs and revenue as taxes for the government occasioned by the Covid -19 pandemic should not make Kenyans slumber but instead people should come up with innovative ideas and strategies that would strengthen the country’s industries for self-sufficiency and exports.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has recognized over 20 organizations that have proved their prowess in energy efficiency and conservation at the 17th Annual Energy Management Awards (EMA) luncheon held in Nairobi.
Ministry of Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said that industry was one of the most important pillars of economic and social development and it was therefore important to support and encourage energy management.
He commended the close collaboration between his ministry and KAM, asserting that through partnerships, they intended to reach out to more industries, public institution and commercial buildings to advance the energy efficiency agenda
“Organizations that have policies for energy efficiency experience benefits such as reduced peak power demand, saved energy costs and, importantly, improved industry competitiveness. Industry could be a big part of the solution for sustainable development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals,” said the CS.
In a speech read on his behalf by Energy Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Mr. Zachary Ayieko, Keter said that the government has great support for energy management awards and would continue to invest in efficiency and conservation.
“We need to embrace energy efficiency as a nation in order to save on energy costs and achieve Vision 2030. KAM has played a key role in steering this course to ensure that industries and domestic users take up energy efficiency measures,” he noted.
The CS further observed that as a ministry, they were committed to improvement of energy infrastructure coupled with clean energy positions to make Kenya a choice destination for investment in manufacturing, CT and other sectors that required stable and quality electricity.
“We intend to maintain our policy on cost reflective tariffs and focus more on additional renewable sources and growing demand to keep the prices under control,” Keter said.
KAM CEO Phyllis Wakiaga on her part stated that the manufacturing sector consumed about 60 per cent of electricity in the country positioning it as energy intensive and a key consumer, adding that the need for stable energy supply has been discussed and milestones have been made.
“Industrialization is driving Kenya’s economy. In spite of relatively high manufacturing costs taking cognizance of the contribution by energy costs, manufacturers have a vital role in driving industrialization and GDP expansion. We encourage organizations to create an energy savings culture and integrate energy efficiency functions in their corporate and operational strategies,” said Wakiaga.
British American Tobacco (BAT) Ltd Nairobi emerged as the most energy efficient company after winning the coveted 2021 Energy Management Awards (EMA) during a ceremony held at Safari park hotel in Nairobi.
British American Tobacco (BAT) Thika were the runners up in the ceremony that saw 20 organizations that have proved their prowess in energy efficiency and conservation at the 17th Annual Energy Management Awards.
The awards are geared towards encouraging a culture of energy efficiency and conservation, as well as recognize enterprises that have made major and sustainable gains in energy efficiency through the application of modern energy management principles and practices, and in the process made significant energy and cost reductions.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Mlolongo Sub Chief Florence Kiyo has commended the Government over kazi mtaani initiative saying it reduced crime rate in Mlolongo and improved the livelihood of the young people in Machakos County.
Addressing a KNA team in her office at Mlolongo, Kiyo said that Kazi Mtaani was a skill-based programme, which involved training that empowered over 7, 000 youths in Machakos County.
“Some of the beneficiaries of the programme in Mlolongo have started their own businesses, quit crime and they now take care of their families”, the Chief said.
Kiyo said that the Kazi Mtaani initiative was a big relief to the youths to facilitate their living since most of them had lost their jobs due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The initiative also shaped the youths from using drugs or stealing and has left them with legal means of survival, she added.
She said that Mlolongo has become a safe place since the initiative started with most of the youths who were trained during the initiative now busy operating their own businesses and were no longer in crime
“With the Covid 19, the youths who depended on casual jobs were highly affected after most of the companies closed and the majority had lost their jobs. When this initiative began, it was a big relief since they could earn money to pay rent and feed their families,” said Kiyo.
“The county government and the national government ensured that the youths were linked up with people who could teach them about tree planting, HIV awareness and how to deal with marital issues. We used to have visitors and investors who would talk to the youths, train them on various aspects as well as encourage them,” Kiyo noted.
She added that the Kazi Mtaani initiative has left most of the youths with businesses in Mlolongo. She attributed this to the initiative which led youths to form groups which were registered for business including honey and poultry groups as well as selling second hand clothes.
Environment wise, she added that they kept Mlolongo clean and ensured that roads and schools were cleaned and undertook the tree planting.
Kiyo termed the Kazi mtaani programme as a creative initiative which shaped the youths towards identifying their skills and potential, which they converted into business ideas that earned them a living.
“We started making masks last year when the pandemic was at its peak. We engaged those who had skills and by the time schools were opened we had made over 5, 000 face masks for the children and distributed them in our public schools,” added the Sub Chief.
Kiyo finally urged the youths to concentrate on their businesses and avoid crime.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A multi-agency team has been formed at Egerton University to fight soil acidity which reduces maize production on small- scale farms, raising food insecurity.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the ‘Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN)’ programme has launched the effort which will be implemented by the University’s Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development to counteract soil acidity which cuts maize yields by at least 30 per cent.
The project’s Lead Principal Investigator and a research fellow at Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development Dr John Olwande said the initiative would involve over 4,000 farmers in counties of Bungoma, Kakamega, Trans Nzoia, and Uasin Gishu which were among the most important for maize production areas in Kenya.
“These counties are among those in which the government conducted soil tests in 2014 and found that the soils were highly acidic,” Dr Olwande said.
“The project’s goal is to address the high cost of soil management by involving stakeholders in the entire value chain of fertilizers and lime,” he added.
While speaking at the Njoro Main Campus during the launch, the Investigator indicated that the project would bring on board experts and stakeholders to build evidence on practical ways to encourage farmers to update their knowledge about the condition of their soils and encourage them to apply appropriate soil management practices.
Dr Olwande was flanked by co-director of ‘Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN)’ Dr David Sarfo Ameyaw and Director of the ‘Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resilience’ Dr Michael Carter.
He stated that the project planned to engage financial institutions, farmers, agricultural experts and community actors to revitalize soils and improve yields in the region.
“Few small-scale farmers test their soils to make soil management decisions. The project will support efforts by the government, development agencies, and private sector investors in promoting and facilitating proper soil management among farmers for sustainable agricultural productivity growth,” he said.
“This effort will get lime, inorganic and organic fertilizers and conservation agriculture to smallholder farmers who at present can only produce enough food to last three months, the other nine months becoming a long hungry season,” he added.
The project is expected to bring together researchers, financial institutions, lime and fertilizer companies, agro-dealers, civil society organizations, extension workers, and smallholder farmers to plan ways of implementing measures aimed at solving this problem.
Dr Ameyaw observed that over 7.5 million hectares of land in Western and Central regions were highly acidic, a challenge that was being experienced in many parts of Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.
“Agriculture is critical across Sub-Saharan Africa considering the challenge of feeding and employing a rapidly growing population in the coming years. This project is a game changer in terms of improving food security in Kenya,” he said.
The results from this project will provide guidance on promoting effective soil management for sustainable agricultural productivity growth in Kenya and across Sub-Saharan Africa.
By addressing widespread soil acidity, this project aligns with Feed the Future and USAID’s efforts in Kenya to expand economic opportunities for smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs to build resilience of households, communities, and markets to shocks and stresses – including climate change – and diversify agricultural production,” Dr Ameyaw pointed out.
He attributed the high acidity to leaching of nutrients due to abundant rains, continuous cultivation and wrong application of nitrogen fertilizers, which break down the soil forming acidic compounds.
Dr Carter noted that acidity prevents crops from utilizing the nutrients that remained in the soil, and that the application of calcium-rich lime, along with complimentary fertilizers and organic matter has been hampered by the high cost of lime, in particular the transportation cost, which kept it from reaching smallholder farmers especially in Western Kenya.
“This project will set out to test ways of relaxing the constraints that limit smallholder farmers’ adoption of lime and other soil management practices that can fundamentally improve their maize yields,” he said.
“The evidence from this project could even benefit smallholder farmers across the continent that faces the same challenge of soil acidity. We are about to show how a relatively small amount of resources can go a long way in solving the problem,” he observed.
A research begun by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute (KALRO) and Egerton University has demonstrated the effectiveness of lime, especially in combination with other fertilizers, for treating acidic soils.

Source: Kenya News Agency