Day: March 1, 2024

Small scale farmers from Kenya are among those who will benefit from donor and advanced action research support in the Eastern and Central African region to boost food production,

The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) is currently working on harmonizing priorities of the national systems in the 15 member governments with those of the sub-regional and global partners to avoid duplication of efforts and harness economies of scale.

Despite the Global actors playing a critical role in supporting the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in financing agricultural research as well as in providing needed technical support and facilities for research, in the recent years, there has been a proliferation of uncoordinated activities in the NARS undertaking activities that merely duplicate initiatives.

Speaking during a regional planning meeting to discuss implementation of the Action Plan to strengthen partnership between Consultative Group on Interna
tional Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Africa Agricultural Research, Innovation and Education Institutions (AARIEIs), Agriculture and livestock Cabinet secretary Mithika Linturi said Governments in the ASARECA region are interested in coordinated activities of various global actors across board in order to boost food yield.

‘The NARS have noted increasing misalignment of CGIAR resources with national priorities and have called for their activities to be rationalized through regional coordination’, he said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministries Senior Technical advisor Dr. Dennis Onkundi ,

The CS explained that a recent ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers meeting discussed gaps in derailing sustainable financing of Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) in the region through ASARECA as well as in providing needed technical support and facilities for research.

‘Effectively, this implies that the envisioned One CGIAR is expected to engage with the countries through ASARECA and this decis
ion is aimed at making ASARECA responsible and accountable to all the national Governments of the Member States., especially by being the sub-region’s technology clearing house,’ he added.

Linturi who is also the chairman of the ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers (CPM) urged stakeholders in the meeting to deliberate openly while ensuring fairness, logic, equity and subsidiarity to arrive at conclusions that will enable all to work for the interest of the NARS with the ultimate target being where the farmer reside.

ASARECA Executive Director Dr. Enock Warinda said that centralizing the operations of the organizations is being prompted by the changing dynamics in the global agriculture sector and the need to reduce wastage of resources.

‘ASARECA council of ministers recently resolved the need to ensure all organizations working in the agriculture sector in the region are coordinated from one point. Therefore, we have reached out to continental and global agricultural bodies to ensure we develop a common act
ion plan aimed at matching all the activities in order to adequately serve the smallholder farmer,’ said Dr. Warinda.

Equally, he confirmed that his organization is reaching out to its sister organizations in Africa so that they can replicate the same formula in their jurisdictions.

The approach by the agricultural players further focuses to support implementation of the November 2022 Abidjan II Communique that advocates urgent transformation of Africa’s food, land, and water systems.

The agricultural innovation network is being reformed to ONE CGIAR in order to be in tandem with the current dynamics in Africa’s farmers and Agri-food systems.

During the meeting, Dr. Warinda noted that member countries seek to make sure that they consolidate their actions to address the common agenda of agricultural research in the region following recent concerns expressed by the world’s largest global agricultural innovation network -Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

The 2 day meeting br
ought stakeholders from regional agricultural research organizations namely -ASARECA, Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) and West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) who agreed to pursue coherent activities in order to help in food production.

Continental bodies that graced the Nairobi forum include the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) and Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM).

Source: Kenya News Agency

Tunis: Minister of Health, Ali Mrabet, stressed the importance of learning about modern therapeutic and surgical techniques in the field of ophthalmology, as he attended on Friday evening in the capital, part of the work of the 41st Congress of the Tunisian Society of Ophthalmology, which will be hosted by Tunisia from February 28 to March 2, 2024.

The conference, which is attended by specialists and experts from Arab, African and foreign countries, will address a number of topics related to ophthalmology, such as cataract surgery, retinal detachment, corneal surgery and modern therapeutic and surgical techniques, according to a statement from the ministry.

In his speech, the Minister of Health noted the richness of the scientific programme of the ophthalmology conference and the opportunity to learn about scientific developments in this field, as well as the success of the Tunisian Ophthalmological Society in strengthening cooperation with its counterparts from different countries to improve the skills of
ophthalmologists and surgeons.

A number of professors and heads of hospital departments at the Hedi Raies Institute of Ophthalmology were honoured.

Prizes were also awarded to the best researchers in the field of ophthalmology.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Six informal settlements in Kisumu are earmarked for a major facelift after the county received Sh1.3 billion grants from the World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD).

The funds channelled through the second phase of Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP 2), target to improve road network in the areas and enhance access to clean piped water.

Other interventions include drainage works, installation of high mast flood lights and last mile connectivity to the sewerage system.

Kisumu County KISIP 2 Coordinator Tom Mboya said a total of 14 roads were set to be upgraded to bitumen standards in Bandani, Manyatta A, Manyatta B, Kibuye and Muhoroni to open up the informal settlements and enhance connectivity.

The works, he added, come with proper drainage systems, street lighting and high mast flood lights which are set to be installed at Migosi and Nyawita to enhance security and promote businesses.

Mboya said the construction of Lot 1 which covers Bandani, Manyatta A, Manyatta B Migosi an
d Nyawita kicked off on January 18, 2024 was expected to be concluded by January 18, 2025 with the contractor given one more year to check and rectify any defects.

Lot 2 which covers Muhoroni and Kibuye, he said, was experiencing delays due to legislative issues at national and county levels but expressed optimism that the works would soon begin as scheduled.

‘This is a five-year project which was supposed to kick off in 2020 but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We are therefore three years late, that is why the contractors have one year to complete the works and another year to check and rectify defects,’ he said.

He said the project was set to change the landscape of the informal settlements and impact positively on health outcomes with the improved access to clean piped water.

The enhanced connectivity will not only boost security but also see the value of land and property in the informal settlements go up, he added.

The coordinator said over 600 youths from the informal settlements were set to
secure casual jobs through the project, further lowering cases of crime in the informal settlements.

‘We have very high unemployment levels in the areas where this project is being implemented. Therefore, a good number of them are going to be absorbed directly and indirectly as we roll out the works,’ he said.

The project, he added, was being implemented in close collaboration with members of the community through Settlement Executive Committees (SEC) to ensure that all their needs and aspirations are captured.

Speaking at Bandani during the inspection of ongoing works, Mboya said the contractors would be supervised on a monthly basis by teams from the national government, county government, consulting engineers for the project and the World Bank to ensure they delivered top notch work.

Project Consulting Engineer Michael Ogola said the community was involved in the design and packaging of the projects being implemented adding that through the SEC, any grievances along the way shall be addressed.

At Band
ani slums, site clearance for the 1.3 km Auji-Pundo road has been completed and the contractor is working on top soil stripping.

The contractor is expected to do another 300 meters stretch from Pundo to Nita thus linking the informal settlement to the Busia-Kisumu Highway.

George Odhiambo, a resident of Bandani said for many years, the informal settlement opposite Kisumu International Airport has been delinked from the rest of Kisumu City due to lack of roads.

The road which is being done to bitumen standard will connect the slum to Kisumu City Central Business District thus opening up the area for development, he said.

Installation of security lights was another milestone aimed at ensuring security and at the same time allowing traders to sell their wares past 7pm.

Security officers, he added, would be able to patrol easily and at the same time all emergency response efforts which have in the past been hampered by poor road network in the area would be properly coordinated.

In Manyatta A where four roa
ds are being constructed, SEC Chairman Paul Okech said the community has embraced the project by giving way leaves and the necessary support to ensure it is implemented fully.

The roads, he said, will not only enhance access but also boost security in the area which has continued to be on the radar of security agencies due to crime.

‘We welcome this project because of the immense benefits it’s going to bring. The movement of people and vehicles is going to be seamless thus promoting business and security,’ he said.

Beline Akoth, one of the residents employed on Mosque-Kona Mbuta road in Manyatta A, said the project has created employment opportunities for the youth in the area.

‘We work for six days a week with payment made to us every Saturday. I am now able to buy food and pay rent and school fees for my child,’ she said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Tunis: Phase II of the WIDU.africa project to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Tunisia was launched on February 29, 2024.

A WIDU Awards ceremony was held on the occasion, to honour the outstanding entrepreneurs who took part in phase I of the project.

WIDU.africa is a project commissioned by German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the German Technical Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ). It was officially launched in Tunisia in December 2021.

In collaboration with the African diaspora in Europe, WIDU applies an innovative approach that combines funding and coaching to strengthen new and existing small businesses in Africa, which then leads to the creation of new jobs.

Officially launched in 2019 in Cameroon and Ghana, the project’s activities have been extended to 4 other African countries.

Phase II of the project will run until September 2026.

Together with WIDU, Tunisians living in?Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway,
Sweden or Switzerland?can support their friends or family in their entrepreneurial endeavors through an innovative and digital approach.

In concrete terms, each?entrepreneur in Tunisia sponsored by a relative living in the 7 participating countries in Europe, can obtain a grant from WIDU of up to EUR 2,500, and benefit from 3 personalised coaching sessions.

To date, the WIDU project has supported 533 SMEs in Tunisia and helped maintain and create 1,274 jobs, 59% of which were for women.

Besides, WIDU has provided 1,185 personalised coaching sessions tailored to the needs of female entrepreneurs. In total, nearly TND 3.3 million were raised in the form of joint private investment between the diaspora and the entrepreneurs.

Taking the floor, German ambassador to Tunisia Peter Prgel recalled the activities of Tunisian-German development cooperation in Tunisia, touching on the existing opportunities for diaspora involvement and underlining the importance of joint action in empowering businesses, making the mo
st of the diaspora and sustainable economic development.

During the ceremony, 18 outstanding entrepreneurs who have benefitted from the WIDU project since 2022 were rewarded for the excellence and innovation of their projects in 6 different categories: Tech and Innovation, Agribusiness, Female Entrepreneurship, Crafts and Green Entrepreneurship.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Over 2000 employees of Bomet County Government have a reason to smile after a court ruling in their favour against their planned lay off.

The workers, who were employed by the defunct local authorities including county council and municipal councils, were in October 2022 issued with three months’ notice of dismissal.

Led by their Bomet County Workers Union Secretary General David Rono, the workers lauded the court for what they termed as justice delivered.

Rono said there had been failed negotiations between the union and the Prof Barchok led administration which had insisted that the workers were hired on contractual terms.

He said the County Assembly had passed a petition seeking to have the workers be employed on permanent and pensionable terms.

The Bomet court had pronounced that all the affected workers were legitimate and should be confirmed as permanent employees.

The court also ruled that the workers’ salaries, which had been stopped since January 2023, be backdated and paid immediately.

The U
nion’s Chairman Edward Sigilai urged the county government to obey the court ruling and rid itself of the idea of appealing against the court ruling.

Sigilai said the county government, as an employer, should respect the rights of workers saying some of the affected workers have had their families broken up while some have not been able to take their children to school.

He said the most affected workers were clerks, cleaners and garbage collectors, all low on grade position, that he said were vulnerable to unjust treatment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Tunis: 3,788 more patients diagnosed with colon cancer in Tunisia in 2023, according to the latest statistics published, Friday, by the Directorate of the Primary Healthcare (DSSB) under the Health Ministry on the occasion of the Blue March under the theme of ” Blue March: let’s mobilize against colon cancer.”

«In Tunisia, colon cancer has been on the rise over the past few years and has become a real threat to public health due to the high mortality rates if not diagnosed and treated at an early stage,» DSSB told TAP adding that «it now ranks 4th type of cancer affecting men and 2nd affecting women nationally, in terms of prevalence.»

To prevent colon cancer, the DSSB called on citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle, keep a healthy weight, exercise, avoid smoking, eat dairy products and derivatives, drink plenty of water and eat fish, especially blue fish, 3 times a week. On the other hand, it urged citizens to reduce the intake of red meat to 500 grams per week and avoid eating processed meat.

The DSSB al
so encouraged citizens to eat fresh vegetables and fruits after washing them carefully, as well as eat wheat and whole grain bread.

It stressed the need to avoid junk food, processed food (cookies, sodas, cakes, French fries, granola bars, chocolate treats, candy, frozen meals, canned juices) and food additives (artificial sweeteners, preservatives and colors).

It should be noted that the national colon cancer screening strategy is based on the identification of the target audience, namely men and women aged 50 to 74 without a family or personal medical history of colorectal cancer and who did not suffer from any debilitating disease.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Research scientists at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Walter Reed Project (WRP) in Kericho have received a five-year USAID award plan of US Dollars 45.6 million, (Sh. 7 billion) to advance an African led development of HIV vaccine.

Speaking during the launch of the research study at KEMRI Kericho, the Acting Director General Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI Prof. Elijah Songok said the research study would lead to the discovery of an HIV vaccine by African scientists for Africa based on the circulating HIV viruses within the continent.

Prof Songok said the consortium titled Bringing Innovation to Clinical and Laboratory Research (BRILLIANT) seeks to end HIV in Africa through New vaccine technology to develop and evaluate HIV vaccine candidates emanating from the African continent.

He said that KEMRI scientists in Kericho would improve and advance the most promising HIV vaccine candidates towards clinical trials.

Prof Songok said ‘on leveraging existing capacity, scientific experti
se and investments made in the community in sub-Saharan Africa to advance an HIV vaccine from the discovery through clinical trials, Kenyan scientists will join forces with research colleagues from Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe to find an HIV Vaccine to contain and end the killer disease in Africa’.

He quipped that partners in the consortium would direct HIV vaccine development efforts, design and identify appropriate delivery mechanisms.

The scientists will conduct HIV research including basic science, pre-clinical (animals) studies and human clinical trials using novel vaccine formulations across all phases of research from phase one to three.

‘This will be achieved on the foundation of robust community engagement and advocacy, capacity building and utilization of reference laboratories that will support safety and immunology analysis,’ Prof. Songok added.

Since 1999, KEMRI Kericho has been closely working with the Ministry of Health, the County governments and proacti
vely engaging the local communities in all their research.

The community engagement includes community board, fieldworkers, Community Health Promoters and Health Care Workers and other stakeholders in collaboration with Walter Reed Project, Henry Jackson Foundation and other partners across the world.

He said that he had confidence that the financial award would accelerate the discovery of an HIV vaccine that Africa and the world at large desperately needs to end the HIV AIDS menace.

Others present at the function included KEMRI Kericho in-charge Research Scientist Dr Fredrick Sawe.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Tunis: Health Minister ALi Mrabet announced Friday the official launch of the Pan-African Wound Healing (PAWH) association which aims to share experience with African countries in care techniques for burns, wounds and healing.

Tunisia boasts qualified medical and paramedical staff in wound care and seeks through the PAWH to share its experience with the different African countries and keep abreast of scientific breakthroughs in this field, Mrabet said at the launch ceremony in Tunis.

PAWH President Amen Allah Messaadi told the media the association is made up of eminent specialised doctors, presidents of civil society organsations active in the health sector and deans of faculties of medicine from 14 African countries.

“This association will introduce a therapeutic process for all types of wounds in keeping with recent developments in this field, while taking into account financial situation of patients and reducing state expenditure,” he added.

Messaadi said medics and paramedics will receive practical a
nd theoretical training in the continent delivered by Tunisian specialised doctiors in a bid to share Tunisian experiences with African countries.

Tunisia, he said, will host next October the First PAWH Scientific Congress.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura has expressed confidence that Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was best suited to take up the African Union Chairmanship owing to his leadership credentials.

Speaking today in Homa Bay Pier during his weekly media briefing, the Spokesman said that the Kenya government was fully in support of Odinga’s bid for AU Commission Chairmanship.

Mwaura said President William Ruto’s campaign skills would be handy in ensuring Raila gets the African continental top job.

‘Many Kenyans know that the president is good at campaigning. After they met in Uganda, the true government position is that we fully support the candidature of Raila to AU,’ Mwaura said adding that Raila has the requisite qualities for the position.

He described Raila as a true Pan Africanist who understands the affairs of the continent. ‘Raila has held the position of the AU High Representative for infrastructure and has championed democracy. He is a true pan Africanist,’ Mwaura said.

Mwaura expressed confidence
that Raila would succeed in his quest for the position noting that a cross section of African leaders has already agreed to support his candidacy.

On Wednesday, Raila said he is on a mission to persuade heads of states in Africa to win their votes. The Azimio leader said he had also met with the new Namibia President Nangolo Mbumba. Raila met Museveni last Monday.

‘After meeting President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda last time, I assure you that East African countries have agreed to rally behind Raila. We stand a better chance as a region to lead at AU,’ Mwaura added.

Accompanied by Kenya Shipyards Ltd Managing Director Maj Gen Paul Otieno, Tom Mboya University Vice Chancellor Prof Charles Ocholla and Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan, Mwaura asked Kenyans to focus on development instead of politics.

He said that the time for politics was behind us and development should now be the priority.

He said county governments should work closely with national government for mutual growth.

Mwaura said Presid
ent Ruto was committed to ensuring all parts of the country benefited from development projects.

He said the national government was undertaking various projects in Homa Bay including construction of Mbita- Magunga-Sori road that connects Migori and Homa Bay counties.

Others are Mfangano and Rusinga ring roads, Oyugis water project, West Karachuonyo water project and Kendu Bay water project.

The water projects are expected to be connected in homes and will collectively benefit more than 200,000 people.

‘We intend to increase coverage to at least 90 per cent by 2025. This will involve last mile connection,’ Mwaura said.

Otieno said Kenya Shipyards Limited was undertaking several projects along the lake that would promote blue economy and revive lake transport.

Water was one of the leading modes of transport in the 70s as it was the safest and used to carry bulky goods.

The agency is currently rehabilitating the first phase of Homa Bay town pier which is set to be completed within four months.

The works
involve rehabilitating and upgrading the pier with modern facilities such as landing bays, fish landing bays, freezing containers, waiting bays, public swimming area, restaurants among other amenities.

‘There will be an increase in leisure tourism, sports tourism, and a boom of human capital development that would be delivered through local universities and tertiary colleges after completion of the pier,’ Otieno said.

Source: Kenya News Agency