Day: November 7, 2023

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King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre Conclui com Sucesso sua Participação Como Parceiro Estratégico de Saúde na Global Health Exhibition 2023

RIADE, Arábia Saudita, Nov. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A Global Health Exhibition, realizada de 29 a 31 de outubro de 2023, foi um sucesso extraordinário para o King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC).

Como Parceiro Estratégico de Saúde, o KFSH&RC apresentou iniciativas inovadoras destinadas a aprimorar a eficiência operacional em domínios médicos cruciais, abrangendo a jornada de atendimento ao paciente, pesquisa espacial, estudos genéticos, técnicas de radioterapia de última geração, avanços no transplante de órgãos (incluindo o primeiro transplante de doador vivo totalmente robótico do mundo), gerenciamento de capacidade e produção de radiofármacos para alcançar a autossuficiência dentro do Reino.

No dia inaugural, Sua Excelência Dr. Majid Al Fayyadh fez um discurso de abertura com foco no futuro promissor do Turismo Médico no Reino, ressaltando os esforços contínuos do KFSH&RC para aprimorar os serviços para pacientes internacionais. “A jornada transformadora do KFSH&RC em uma instituição sem fins lucrativos, focada principalmente no atendimento de pacientes da região do Golfo, teve início em 2021. No seu ano inaugural, o hospital recebeu 250 pacientes e, desde então, pudemos observar um impressionante crescimento anual de 40%. Nosso objetivo é ampliar o nosso atendimento para 10.000 pacientes até 2030.”

O Dr. Yaseen Mallawi, Diretor Executivo Interino – Prestação de Cuidados de Saúde no KFSH&RC, participou de um painel de discussão abordando “Desafios para acelerar a transformação do Setor de Saúde Saudita”, onde enfatizou o compromisso do hospital em priorizar o bem-estar funcional dos pacientes dentro de um sistema de saúde baseado em valores.

Muhannad Al Kadi, Diretor de Comunicações Corporativas e Marketing do KFSH&RC, expressou sua satisfação com o sucesso do fórum, afirmando: “Foi um prazer poder nos reunir com líderes do setor para compartilhar nossa visão e testemunhar o impacto das nossas colaborações. A Global Health Exhibition tem sido uma plataforma notável para avaliar novas oportunidades que irão reforçar ainda mais o cenário da saúde no Reino e além.”

Os especialistas do KFSH&RC participaram ativamente de vários painéis de discussão. O Dr. Dieter Broering, Diretor Executivo do Centro de Excelência em Transplante de Órgãos, compartilhou insights sobre o potencial das tecnologias cirúrgicas de ponta para reformular os cuidados de saúde. O Dr. Mohammed Alhamid, Diretor do Centro de Inteligência em Saúde, fez um discurso instigante sobre os cuidados de saúde com base em IA lançando luz sobre o futuro da inteligência em saúde.

Além disso, o evento foi um marco significativo para o KFSH&RC ao celebrar seu 100º procedimento Car-T Cell, uma conquista notável no Oriente Médio. O hospital também recebeu o prestigiado prêmio de “Best Public Services Call Centre of The Year – Critical” no Annual Middle East Call Centre 2023 Awards.

Além da participação no Global Health Exhibition, o KFSH&RC firmou Memorandos de Entendimento fundamentais. O hospital fez uma parceria com a Sabic, líder global em produtos químicos diversificados, para impulsionar o desenvolvimento e a inovação de produtos de saúde. O King Faisal Specialist Hospital International Holding Company, o braço de investimento do KFSH&RC, estabeleceu uma parceria estratégica com a Solutions by STC para aprimorar o cenário das empresas de negócios de saúde e identificar áreas de crescimento mútuo no setor.

Foram firmados outros Memorandos de Entendimento com a Microsoft Arabia, com foco na sustentabilidade e inovação para o aprimoramento do atendimento ao paciente, e com a Fundação Hevolution, enfatizando o avanço da pesquisa sobre longevidade e envelhecimento. O KFSH&RC também fez uma parceria com a Illumina e firmou um memorando de entendimento com a Johnson & Johnson, com a visão principal de revolucionar o treinamento cirúrgico na região.

Informações para Contato:
kfshrc@mcsaatchi.com

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L’hôpital spécialisé et centre de recherche King Faisal conclut avec succès son rôle de partenaire stratégique en matière de soins de santé à la Global Health Exhibition 2023

RIYAD, Arabie saoudite, 07 nov. 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — La Global Health Exhibition, qui s’est tenue du 29 au 31 octobre 2023, fut un succès exceptionnel pour l’hôpital spécialisé et centre de recherche King Faisal (ci-après « KFSH&RC »).

À titre de partenaire santé stratégique de l’événement, le KFSH&RC a présenté des initiatives révolutionnaires visant à améliorer l’efficacité opérationnelle dans des domaines médicaux essentiels, notamment le parcours de soins des patients, la recherche spatiale, les études génétiques, les techniques de radiothérapie de pointe, les progrès en matière de greffe d’organes (y compris la toute première greffe avec donneur vivant entièrement robotisée), la gestion des capacités et la production de produits radiopharmaceutiques afin d’atteindre l’autosuffisance dans le Royaume.

Pour la journée d’ouverture, Son Excellence le Dr Majid Ibrahim Al Fayyadh, a prononcé un discours liminaire sur l’avenir prometteur du tourisme médical dans le Royaume, soulignant les efforts continus du KFSH&RC pour améliorer les services offerts aux patients internationaux. « Le parcours de transformation du FSH&RC en une institution à but non lucratif, principalement axée sur les patients de la région du Golfe, a débuté en 2021. Dans sa première année, l’hôpital a admis 250 patients, et nous avons depuis observé une croissance annuelle impressionnante de 40 %. Notre objectif est de proposer nos soins à 10 000 patients d’ici 2030 ».

Le Dr Yaseen Mallawi, directeur général par intérim de la prestation de soins de santé au KFSH&RC, a participé à une table ronde sur « Les défis à relever pour accélérer la transformation du secteur de la santé saoudien », durant laquelle il a souligné l’engagement de l’hôpital à donner la priorité au bien-être fonctionnel des patients dans le cadre d’un système de soins de santé reposant sur la notion de valeur.

Muhannad Al Kadi, responsable de la communication et du marketing de KFSH&RC, s’est réjoui du succès du forum : « Ce fut un plaisir de se réunir avec des leaders du secteur, de partager notre vision et de constater l’impact de nos collaborations. La Global Health Exhibition a été une plateforme exceptionnelle pour explorer de nouvelles opportunités qui permettront de renforcer encore le secteur des soins de santé dans le Royaume et au-delà ».

Les experts de KFSH&RC ont activement participé à de nombreuses tables rondes. Le Dr Dieter Broering, directeur exécutif du Centre d’excellence pour les greffes d’organe a partagé son point de vue sur le potentiel des technologies chirurgicales de pointe pour remodeler les soins de santé. Le Dr. Mohammed Alhamid, directeur du Centre of Healthcare Intelligence, a prononcé un discours passionnant sur les soins de santé alimentés par l’IA, mettant en lumière l’avenir de l’intelligence en matière de soins de santé.

D’autre part, l’événement a marqué une étape importante pour le KFSH&RC, qui a célébré sa 100e procédure de thérapie cellulaire Car-T, une réalisation remarquable au Moyen-Orient. L’hôpital s’est également vu décerner le prix prestigieux du « Meilleur centre d’appel de l’année pour les services publics – critique » lors de la remise des prix annuels du Middle East Call Centre 2023 Awards.

En marge de la Global Health Exhibition, le KFSH&RC a scellé des protocoles d’accord importants. Il s’est associé à SABIC, un leader mondial des produits chimiques diversifiés, pour stimuler le développement et l’innovation en matière de produits de santé. King Faisal Specialist Hospital International Holding Company, la société d’investissement de KFSH&RC, a établi un partenariat stratégique avec Solutions by STC afin d’améliorer le cadre commercial des soins de santé et d’identifier les domaines de croissance mutuelle dans le secteur.

D’autres protocoles d’accord ont été signés avec Microsoft Arabia, concernant le développement durable et l’innovation pour l’amélioration des soins aux patients, et avec la Fondation Hevolution, concernant l’avancement de la recherche sur la longévité et le vieillissement. Le KFSH&RC a également établi un partenariat avec Illumina et signé un protocole d’accord avec Johnson & Johnson, dans le but premier de révolutionner la formation chirurgicale dans la région.

Coordonnées :
kfshrc@mcsaatchi.com

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Matmerize secures DOD award to develop low-flammability polymer composite materials using advanced AI methods

ATLANTA, Nov. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Matmerize, Inc., an industry leader in Polymer & Formulations Informatics proudly announces its selection by the US Department of Defense (DOD) for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract aimed at advancing AI methodologies for accelerating the design of novel low-flammability polymer composite materials. Matmerize is excited about the transformative potential of this project as it will not only enhance fire safety for Navy ships and submarines, but will also find applications in a wide range of industries, including construction, aerospace, automotive and consumer products. This award comes at the heels of another SBIR recently awarded to Matmerize by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop physics-informed and physics-enforced machine learning architectures to advance materials development.

The flammability of polymer composites is quantified by a set of quantitative parameters, typically measured using highly standardized instruments/tests defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and other agencies. Desirable polymeric materials that meet the specific values of ASTM and non-ASTM standardized tests require an optimal combination of base polymers, functional additives, flame retardants, and processing conditions. Matmerize will collaborate with DOD to develop a Polymer Informatics capability using suitable curated data and advanced AI/ML techniques, aimed at the accelerated design of low-flammability polymer matrix composites that meet other critical mechanical and thermal performance targets needed by the Navy.

Key highlights of the contract include:

(1)  creation of a composite materials database with flammability and other relevant properties such as maximum heat release rate, time to ignition, and smoke density,
(2)   development of AI models trained on the database to predict the relevant properties for new composite formulations, and
(3)  recommend a pool of promising polymer composites, i.e., the combinations of base polymers, functional additives, flame retardants, and processing conditions, for experimentally synthesis and testing.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link:

AI Custom Models for Low Flammability Polymer Composites: Creating AI Custom Models for Low Flammability Polymer Composites using Customer's Proprietary Data

Huan Tran, Director of Research Innovation for Matmerize stated, “This collaboration signifies a major achievement in the pursuit of safer, lower-flammability polymer composites. We take great pride in spearheading the development of cutting-edge AI-driven solutions for low-flammability composite materials that not only meet rigorous ASTM testing standards but also address the vital safety requirements mandated for our Navy ships.“

At the heart of Matmerize’s innovation lies PolymRize™, their flagship product – a cloud-based Polymer Informatics software platform meticulously crafted to expedite the advancement of polymers, composites, and formulations. The DOD SBIR aligns perfectly with Matmerize’s core mission to unlock the immense potential of AI in advanced materials engineering to address critical challenges and improve functionality, fire safety and sustainability. Both the DOD and the NSF SBIRs come at an opportune time and will jointly propel and advance the AI-based PolymRize™ technology in a synergistic manner.

Chiho Kim, CTO at Matmerize expressed his enthusiasm by stating “The two concurrent SBIR awards granted by DOD and NSF, represent a resounding endorsement of Matmerize’s pioneering Polymer Informatics platform PolymRize™. These contracts will provide us the resources and support needed to further advance our AI based PolymRize™ platform.”

For more information on the innovative PolymRize™ platform please visit: https://www.matmerize.com/polymrize

About Matmerize:
Matmerize, Inc. is a recent spin-out from the Georgia Institute of Technology and was founded by Dr. Rampi Ramprasad and Dr. Chiho Kim. Matmerize is a leading innovator at the intersection of advanced materials engineering and artificial intelligence. With a mission to revolutionize fire safety and sustainability through AI technology, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Our dedicated team of experts strives to create solutions that positively impact new material development while minimizing the environmental footprint.

For further information, inquiries, or media contact, please reach out to:

Matmerize, Inc.
https://www.matmerize.com
E: info@matmerize.com
Y: Watch Matmerize Videos on YouTube
L: Follow our LinkedIn Page

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Quantexa Launches New Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore to Capture Next Wave of Growth

  • Quantexa’s growing presence in Singapore represents significant investment in delivering AI-enabled Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions to Enterprises and Government Agencies across Asia Pacific
  • Quantexa has seen double-digit growth and tripled employee base in Asia Pacific region since Series D announcement in 2022
  • The new location in Singapore reinforces Quantexa’s global network and brings the company closer to its clients and partners in the region

SINGAPORE, Nov. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quantexa, the global leader in Decision Intelligence (DI) solutions for the public and private sectors, today announced the opening of its new Asia Pacific Headquarters based in Tower 1 of Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) in Singapore. The opening is part of a broader regional expansion plan and follows the July 2023 launch of Quantexa’s Japan operations in Tokyo and long-standing presence in Melbourne, Sydney and Malaysia. Further expansion into Hong Kong is expected in 2024.

The organization’s decision to set up its regional headquarters in Singapore was solidified by the country’s commitment to attracting investment, talent, and technology. Establishing Quantexa’s new office locally complements the government’s Smart Nation initiative which outlines its plan to invest up to SGD500 million in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development.

Economic forecasts for Southeast Asia predict that it will remain one of the fastest growing regions for years to come. Additionally, over the past 12 months, Quantexa has seen significant demand in the region as local banks and government agencies put an increased emphasis on detecting and preventing financial crime as the number of large-scale money laundering operations in region have risen, costing victims abroad billions of dollars[1]. Recently, Singapore authorities have taken measures to ensure that financial institutions scrutinise monetary flows with city state managed assets valued at USD4 trillion[2].

Quantexa’s regional headquarters will provide sales, marketing, product management, and professional services capabilities to support customer implementations of its Decision Intelligence Platform in the banking, insurance and telecommunications industries, as well as the public sector. The opening comes after Quantexa recently completed its Series E Funding Round led by GIC Singapore, valuing the company north of $1.8 billion, and announcing a $155 million investment to fuel global artificial intelligence advancements.

Today, Quantexa will host an event to showcase local technology innovation and partnerships at The National Museum of Singapore. Quantexa CEO Vishal Marria will be joined by esteemed industry leaders from GIC, Singapore’s Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), and Standard Chartered Bank for a panel discussion on “Charting New Pathways for AI Innovation.”

Vishal Marria, CEO and Founder, Quantexa, said: “Quantexa has seen 90% revenue growth and we have nearly tripled our team size in the Asia Pacific region since our Series D announcement. With today’s announcement of our new regional headquarters in Singapore, we continue to accelerate our growth plans and get closer to our clients and partners as we serve the region.”

Choo Yong Cheen, Chief Investment Officer of Private Equity, GIC, said: “We are pleased to see Quantexa establish their new regional headquarters in Singapore as part of their expansion efforts in Asia. As Quantexa continues to benefit from increasing regulatory emphasis on compliance and demand for AI capabilities in data management, we remain confident in the company’s growth potential.”

Jinghua Guo, Chief Digitization Officer, The Digital and Intelligence Service, added: “The Digital and Intelligence Service views AI as a mission-critical capability for the Singapore Armed Forces to safeguard the sovereignty and security of Singapore. We have always worked closely with other technology partners in government to build cutting-edge AI capabilities for defence. But beyond this, we need to harness the rapid innovations from commercial companies as part of our AI portfolio to address our operational needs more effectively. Therefore, we are interested to further explore how cutting-edge solutions from technology leaders like Quantexa can help us succeed in our mission.”

Sean Coppinger, CIO, Standard Chartered Bank, said: “We are thrilled that Quantexa is expanding its presence here. Since 2018, we have worked closely with Quantexa to use AI-enabled data matching capabilities to get a complete view of our customers and their transaction networks. This has helped us raise the bar on how the industry detects fraud and fights financial crime.”

The Singapore Headquarters joins a growing portfolio of Quantexa hubs including London, Dublin, Brussels, Malaga, UAE, New York, Boston, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo.

Quantexa’s Asia Pacific team is expanding and is actively recruiting several open positions. To find out more about current vacancies, visit this page.

Note to Editors:

For more information on Quantexa, please visit the website here.

Media Inquiries:

C: Alina Boey, Senior Consultant, Milk & Honey PR

T: +65 96565580

E: alinab@milkandhoneypr.com

About Quantexa   

Quantexa is a global data and analytics software company pioneering Decision Intelligence that empowers organizations to make trusted operational decisions by making data meaningful. Using the latest advancements in big data and AI, Quantexa’s Decision Intelligence platform uncovers hidden risk and new opportunities by providing a contextual, connected view of internal and external data in a single place. It solves major challenges across data management, KYC, customer intelligence, financial crime, risk, fraud, and security, throughout the customer lifecycle.

The Quantexa Decision Intelligence Platform enhances operational performance with over 90% more accuracy and 60 times faster analytical model resolution than traditional approaches. Founded in 2016, Quantexa now has more than 675 employees and thousands of users working with billions of transactions and data points across the world. The company has offices in London, Dublin, Brussels, Malaga, UAE, New York, Boston, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo.

About GIC

GIC is a leading global investment firm established in 1981 to secure Singapore’s financial future. As the manager of Singapore’s foreign reserves, GIC takes a long-term, disciplined approach to investing and is uniquely positioned across a wide range of asset classes and active strategies globally. These include equities, fixed income, real estate, private equity, venture capital, and infrastructure. Its long- term approach, multi-asset capabilities, and global connectivity enable it to be an investor of choice. GIC seeks to add meaningful value to its investments. Headquartered in Singapore, GIC has a global talent force of over 2,100 people in 11 key financial cities and has investments in over 40 countries. For more information, please visit www.gic.com.sg or follow on LinkedIn.

[1] Source: Nikkei Asia article – Singapore stands out as a global tech hub amid U.S.-China tensions

[2] Source: South China Morning Post article – Singapore readies roll out of anti-money-laundering platform to prevent a 1MDB repeat

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Livestock Prices Soar As Supply Diminishes

The price of livestock in Kajiado has skyrocketed over the past few months as their supply has diminished due to the recent drought in the county. The drought which ravaged most of the livestock in the county left many families destitute with no source of income as they depended on their livestock to fend for their families. While most of the residents are wallowing in poverty due to the death of their animals, it is a reprieve for a few livestock herders whose herds survived the drought as their prices have skyrocketed following low supply. In the Kitengela livestock market in Isinya Sub County, a mature sheep is now retailing at between Sh14,000-20,000 up from Sh8,000-10,000 three months ago. The same price is retailing for goats. A mature bull is retailing at Sh 80,000-120,000 while it was retailing at Sh70,000- 100,000 three months ago. A heifer is retailing at between Sh 60,000-80,000 depending on their maturity and quality up from Sh 30,000-50,000. In a spot check by KNA, the costs have been transferred to the consumers as a kilogram of beef is now retailing at between Sh 600-650 per Kg depending on the location of the butchery. Though livestock herders whose herds survived are celebrating the new prices, those who lost their herds to the biting drought are urging both the county and national governments to help them restock their livestock as it was their only source of livelihood. ‘Now that the rains are here, I want to restock my cattle as many died during the recent drought. I have no means to buy other cows though, especially now that their prices have doubled. I am urging the government to help us restock so that we can be able to fend for our families like before,’ said Mzee Leshan Sawoina, who lost 50 of his cows to the drought. With the festive season approaching, the demand is expected to increase making the prices soar further as the supply is limited.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Livestock Farmers Get 250 Tons Of Feeds As Drought Mitigation

Over 1000 farmers in Taita-Taveta County are set to benefit from high-quality livestock feed after the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) donated 250-tons of vital supplements to mitigate against the adverse effects of drought in the livestock sector. The donation is primarily targeting 40 hotspot areas in the vast county that were hardest hit by drought. Taita-Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime said the feed will come in handy to support the livestock sector and avert animal deaths. He noted that though the rains have started in several parts of the county, it will take weeks before pastures regenerate and the fields are replenished; a fact that made the livestock feed donation a timely intervention. Governor Andrew Mwadime at the NCPB depot in Voi where the 5,000 bags of FAO livestock feed were stored The governor was speaking at the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) Depot at Voi on Monday where he flagged off the livestock feed distribution exercise. ‘This donation is as a result of the good relations we have with our development partners. We want our farmers to benefit and we will not tire of putting their welfare first,’ he said. Mwadime pointed out that the livestock sector in the region had the potential to become a major income earner for residents owing to the conducive disease-free environment and availability of pastures in ranches. The governor disclosed that the county had planned engagement with officials at the state department of livestock on how to revamp livestock value chain projects and position the region to access the international livestock market. ‘We have planned for a meeting with the livestock department on how our farmers will access the international market. We also want to work on how to revamp stalled projects like the Bachuma livestock multiplication center,’ he said. Before the onset of the current rains, Taita-Taveta was reeling from severe drought that saw livestock including goats, sheep and cows die in their thousands. County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture and Livestock Mr. Eric Kyongo said that hundreds of farmers reported massive losses as drought devastated both small-scale and large-scale livestock keepers. The ranches were not spared either as hundreds of livestock perished in the severe drought. Mr. Kyongo stated that his department was now prioritizing commercializing the livestock sector through investing in pasture-promotion practices with an aim of creating sufficient buffer stocks to be used in times of drought. He added that apart from distribution of the feeds, hundreds of farmers have also been given hybrid grass seeds to populate pastures that had been degraded by the drought. The farmers are also being provided with energy-efficient hay-making equipment and insulated bags for storage of the grass. ‘We are now commercializing pasteurization of farms where efficient management of land and farms will see farmers harvest fodder for sale. The fodder can also be used when drought hits the pastures,’ he said. To enhance the project, the county administration has asked farmers in areas that are prone to human-wildlife conflict to also factor in investing in growing grass for commercial purposes. High-yield and fast-growing grass variety is being viewed as an alternative to providing both fodder for livestock and revenue for farmers in troubled hotspots.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Over 35,000 Title Deeds Are Ready For Collection In Kilifi

Over 35,000 title deeds are ready for collection at the lands office in Kilifi, Cabinet Secretary for Land Alice Wahome confirmed. During an impromptu visit to the lands office in Kilifi yesterday, the CS urged members of the public who made applications to collect their title deeds to safeguard their property. Wahome disclosed that the government is moving with speed to process land documents to strengthen the trust between the government and the citizens and promote harmony. governance. However, she noted with concern the trend of killings of elderly persons once they possess their title deeds, saying it has hindered many people from collecting their documents for fear of attack from family members. ‘When the head of the family, mother or father obtains the title, young people attack them. That is very common within the coastal region. The elderly are being harassed by their children because of the property ownership therefore some of them prefer to leave their titled deeds in the possession of the office,’ she observed. Wahome committed herself to ensuring that the ministry would move with speed to ensure they resolve the challenges facing the lands office in Kilifi County. ‘I think the response issue under the RTA will work very quickly, and we will see how we can transfer all those records here in Kilifi’, she said. ‘I have been listening to the commissioner and the registrar, and I realize that it is an urgent matter because that way the records relate to the specific owners and specific blocks and units, and specific titles are issued to the real owners,’ she added. She further warned people against falsely acquiring land and title deeds saying that support from the president would ensure sanity in the issue of land ownership. The government’s initiative is aimed at addressing land ownership issues and promoting transparency and accountability in the land sector.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Food Security Boost As Elgeyo Marakwet Initiates Fruit Seedlings Program

To fortify economic growth and enhance the forest cover in the region, the County Government of Elgeyo Marakwet has distributed 50,000 fruit seedlings across three key Wards. The distribution, a part of Governor Wisley Rotich’s Kilimo Biashara program, aims to empower residents and elevate household earnings through agricultural initiatives. The seedlings, consisting of 20,000 tomato seedlings and 30,000 cypresses, were allocated to farmers in Kabiemit Ward in Keiyo South Sub County, Lelan Ward in Marakwet West, and Kapyego Ward in Marakwet East Sub-County. Speaking on the initiative, Jason Lagat, the County Executive Committee Member for Environment, Water, and Climate Change, emphasized the program’s alignment with Governor Rotich’s vision of ensuring each household has enough food to eat and improved economic prospects for every family. This tree distribution is a pivotal step towards combating poverty,’ Lagat stated. The timing of the distribution has been praised by the residents, coinciding with the current rainfall across various parts of the county. Acknowledging the significance of this endeavor, Peter Biwott, a farmer from the Chemoson sub-location in Lelan Ward, emphasized the immediate and long-term benefits of this initiative. ‘The arrival of the seedlings is a timely boost. It will not only generate income but also ensure a steady supply of fruits for our families,’ Biwott remarked. The program’s implementation was facilitated by the identification and organization of farmers in a comprehensive database. This step aims to streamline decision-making processes and facilitate easier identification for potential investors. Isaac Koech, the Chief Officer in the Department of Environment, Water and Climate Change, assured residents of similar forthcoming programs in other wards. ‘Today, Kabiemit, Kapyego, and Lelan had their share. In the days ahead, we will extend the distribution of fruit and tree seedlings across the remaining wards. The objective is to ensure no ward is excluded from this beneficial initiative,’ Koech affirmed. Moreover, the county authorities have ambitious plans to distribute over 100,000 avocado and 300,000 cypress trees in the following week, with a broader aim to plant more than 500,000 fruit trees in all 13 wards by the end of November. Local leaders, including MCAs Priscilla Kurgat from Lelan and Joseph Chebet from Kapyego Ward, lauded Governor Rotich for his vision and proactive measures. ‘This is an encouraging step. The collaborative efforts with external partners for the seedlings reflect the commitment of our governor,’ expressed Chebet. As the county looks forward to expanding this initiative, the local government encourages ongoing tree planting, capitalizing on the current favorable weather conditions to further fortify the region’s agricultural and environmental landscape.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Heavy Rains Continue To Wreak Havoc In Nyeri County

Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in many parts of the country. In Nyeri County, Kagongo Village, Kamakwa, Mukaro Ward, Nyeri Central Sub County, the area experienced a landslide though no injuries nor deaths were reported. Speaking when he visited the area following the incident Chief Officer for Gender, Youth, Sports and Social Services Joe Ngethi advised the residents on the importance of building houses on higher ground to prevent being victims of landslides. He also encouraged them on the need to plant trees to improve the tree cover and vegetation. Ngethi assured the affected families of the county government’s support for the affected households. The CO also cautioned against staying in houses suspected to be in landslide-prone areas and urged residents to remain vigilant and cautious during the ongoing rainy season, which is expected to last up to January 2024. Also present was Engineer Solomon Ngatia who encouraged residents on the construction of terraces to mitigate landslides, promoting safety and stability in the area. He noted that landslides or mudslides can happen suddenly or more slowly over long periods adding that landslide-prone areas should be evacuated to prevent loss of life. ”Prevention is always better than cure”, cautioned Mwangi.

Source: Kenya News Agency