hybrid to save cooking hours,fuel

 hybrid to save cooking hours

Kenyatta University researchers in collaboration with international partners are testing and evaluating cooking hybrid banana dabbed Naritas that will take shorter time to cook saving families fuel costs.

Narita is an acronym derived from Naro - the National Agriculture
Research Organization of Uganda and IITA – International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) that is high yielding and disease resistant hybrids.

 

The variety will be resistant to black sigatoka which is rated as the most devastating foliar disease in bananas.


Plant biotechnology lecturer, department of biochemistry, microbiology and biotechnology, Kenyatta University Mary Mwangi said that the research that has taken over 20 years will see the Kenyan families enjoy a soft matoke meal.

 

The cooking varieties developed under climate smart banana project will see introduction of climate resilience, high yielding non-GMO plantains into the Kenyan value chain, said Lecturer Mary.


“The varieties are not Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) – they are hybrids," added Lecturer Mwangi who added that the breath taking research had taken over 20 years to be completed.

“We have only known the indigenous cooking bananas that are hard even after
long hours of being on fire. We are also planning to introduce Narita, alongside a variety of sweet banana that is not only sweeter than what’s on the market but also resistant to panama disease. Panama disease is known to cause huge losses to banana farmers in Embu, Murang’a and Kirinyaga. All these efforts are geared towards making Kenya a matoke eating family to diversify from the normal Ugali and rice also improving their nutrition value” lecturer Mwangi added.

The climate smart banana project (Clismaban), seeks to establish varieties that can withstand the changes in climate, bananas that will survive high and low temperatures as a way of addressing food security.

The researchers said the variety is likely to be in high demand and therefore give farmers better earnings.

“We have a banana variety that can withstand to the adaptation of the climate whether low or high so as to address food security and also survive on the changing temperatures,” she added the variety that will
address food security and also be market potential”.

The project is planned to kick in three counties; Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Embu after the evaluating performance at the Kenyatta university laboratories, have so far been tested in Uganda and Kenya where it is doing well.

So far at the Kenyatta University laboratory there are 27 new hybrids that have been developed through crossbreeding of which 25 have been evaluated for agronomic performance in Uganda.

For the first time in Kenya we have embarked on similar evaluations.

We are also assessing their potential for adoptions by farmers,consumers and traders in Kenya through a participatory gender-responsive approach.

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varieties where farmers will narrow down to four depending on the farmer’s choice and the area.

The project is being rolled out through participatory varietal selection, whereby gender-integrated farmers will work closely with the researchers to identify the most desirable varieties based on agronomic and sensory evaluations.

Prof. Grace Ngare, gender expert said that bananas are customarily considered a women’s crop but with the introduction of Naritas, this could change hence the need to guard against conflict in farming families.

 “When banana farming turns commercials, men will pick interest and seek to control proceeds from the venture. Besides, gender shifts arising from commercial banana farming have generated observable Gender-Based Violence within the households as observed in Meru. Its high time families started embracing sharing roles and information.

Kawanjara commercial village agribusiness cooperative society vice
chairman Francis Mugo a beneficiary said the way for valuable projects
to be felt is dealing with groups and not individuals citing that the
400 members will be able to spread the word of a new banana variety in
the region.

Mercy Wanja, a member, added that the banana variety is likely to be a
hit in the market saying bananas grown in the area are small in
bunches and raised little in cash.

Wanja said the participatory approach taken by the project will
solve the violence in homes since men dominate revenue generating crop farming and management of proceeds leaving the woman to do donkey work.

"We are very happy to see that this project has taken a step of engaging
gender both male and female to create awareness to avoid violence". Wanja added.

The project is co-funded by the Kenyan government and European Union to a tune of Sh. 83 million and is expected to run for three years.



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Tough laws to save females seeking jobs overseas

Tough laws to save females seeking jobs overseas

National Assembly Labour Committee chairperson who is also the MP for Mwea Kabinga Wachira has said that the committee is coming up with laws that will see Kenyan job seeker protected from bogus bureaus.

Wachira said that the laws will also protect Kenyans working in the gulf from killings and mistreatment.

Kabinga said that the committee has formulated the laws so as to also curtail the bureaus from exploiting jobseekers.

"The law is to govern our children, sisters, brothers who have gotten jobs in the Gulf without being mistreated,” said Kabinga.

He said that if the National Assembly passes the bill, Kenya could benefit immensely through the money remitted from the Middle East citing the Philippines that gets 42 trillion from its workers who are in the Gulf and other countries.

“A protected Kenyan worker will be mean that the country can take huge advantage including borrowing from the Diaspora remittances,” the chairperson added.

Wachira said the government should clamp down on the recruiting agencies that have been taking advantage of poor job seekers.

“I am urging the recruiting agencies to start adjusting to the new laws, and exploited their own children for greed,” said Kabinga.

He also urged the employees to be well behaved in the diaspora and avoid situations that may put them in a corrosion course with the employers.

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Kirinyaga comes third in abuse on the elderly.

Kirinyaga comes third in abuse on the elderly.

Kirinyaga County has been ranked third in abuse of the elderly persons, after Kilifi and Kisii.

The situational analysis regarding abuse of the elderly the Directorate for Social Development identified Mwea Community Capacity Support Program (CCSP) for renovation as a Rescue Centre. 

Speaking in Mwea cabinet secretary for social development Simon Chelugui said the elderly are supposed to be looked after and not abuse.

The abuse has been attributed to property inheritance where the life expectancy is shorter due to mistreatment, the abuse is perpetuated by family members.

The Sh47 Million modern rescue center situated in Ngurubani, Mwea constituency, will see 45 persons but the number of the abused is high.

It will be run by the directorate for social development.

“In this county, our studies showed that the abuses of the elderly persons were triggered by incidents of inheritance of family property especially land by their own children with some instances such parents being murdered, Chelugui said,

The facilities in this home include single self-contained rooms with hotel-like facilities ideal for an elderly person requiring time in privacy, while other rooms can accommodate up to four people, depending on the need of such clients.

The opening was witnessed by the Mwea MP Kabinga Wathayu, Nominated MP David Sankok-where they called upon Kenyans to look after the elderly.

The nominated MP said traditionally, the elderly are not supposed to be abused but taken care of but today the elderly have turned to be the target from their own children.

“Children take care of their elderly parents, they are our gold but the gold has turned out to be a target,”said Sankok.

Sankok also added that many elderly people are dying poor due to the treatment they are getting right at home.

Kabinga on his part said that Mwea leads in abuse on the elderly citing that, majority have been rendered homeless by their own children, relatives due to their land.

“We know Mwea has had a history of elderly being chased from their own homes by their children, wives due to land we hope that the center will be a temporary place for them to first get shelter, counselors are also going to be available for their mental wellness,” Kabinga added.

They urged Mwea residents and Kenyans at large to stop the vice saying it is a curse to chase the man of the house form his own matrimonial home.

 ends...

Fathers day losses after a jilted husband destroys farm produce worth shs 500,000

 Fathers day losses after a jilted husband destroys farm produce worth shs 500,000

Fathers day turned tragic in Kirinyaga when a jilted man went on rampage and destroyed farm produce worth shs 500,000.

The middle aged man from Kamagambo, Gichugu, was trying to prevent his wife from going to the market, instead stay at home with him to celebrate the day.

Business man David Muthike said that he was prepared to go to the market when he was called on Sunday morning being told that his bananas and avocados that were waiting to be taken to Kitui market had been destroyed.

Muthike went on to say that the market day in Kitui is normally on Sunday and that the man, went on rampage destroying their goods thinking that was his wife's who was supposed to go to the same market.

The man used a machete to slice the green bananas and sacks of avocados saying that his wife should have stayed at home because it was Father’s Day.

"I got a call from a neighbour that the bananas that we had packed on the roadside ready to be parked in a lorry has been destroyed, when I rushed there I found that most of our bananas and avocados," said Muthike.

"Mwanaume huyo alikuwa anataka bibi yake akae nyumbani ndio washerehekee siku ya Fathers Day,(The man who destroyed our farm produce wanted the wife to stay home since it was fathers day),” Muthike.

Hellen Kaari added that she had taken her goods along Kianyaga- Kiamutugu road ready for market.

The boda boda guy who witnessed the destruction informed her of the destruction saying she has lost produce worth sh15,000.

"I have lost farm produce worth sh 15,000,this is my way of survival,", said Kaari.

The farm produce that was destroyed belonged to six business people, who are yet to come to terms with the loss.

Kirinyaga East sub-county OCPD Anthony Mbogo said there is no report made on the matter.

"We do not have any complain from Kamagambo,we are still waiting for those whose farm produce was destroyed to report,"said Mbogo

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Government has closed Sagana Muslim secondary school arrested director and over 100 students sent home in Kirinyaga.

 Government has closed  Sagana Muslim secondary school arrested director and over 100 students sent home in Kirinyaga.

The Government on Wednesday, closed a muslim secondary school  in Sagana, Ndia in Kirinyaga  county , arrested the school director and over 100 students sent home.

Speaking after closing the school Ndia sub-county Deputy County commissioner Moses Ivuto said the Director of Tahfidh-ul-Quran Academy has been operating an unregistered institution.

Ivuto warned those operating without following ministry of education circular.

 “Most of this institution does not meet the minimum standards required by the ministry of education and we will investigate the director further,” Ivuto said. 

The school had not also met the covid-19 requirements of one meter apart from each student’s and also the school was overcrowded.

 

Ndia Sub-county director of education Benard Kamande the school director will be charged for operating an unregistered school.

 

 “As you can see he has gone against covid-19 guidelines, the students are overcrowded, there is no social distancing.' Kamande said.

 

The school director Ismail Wanjohi is currently held at Baricho police station in Ndia, Kirinyaga West waiting to appear in court.

 

“The sub county director of education therefore closed the school indefinitely and the director of the school one Ismail Wanjohi was arrested and will be charged with offence of operating a school without license,”.

 

The Administrator said that ,”all parents were informed about the closure of the school and requested to facilitate the movement of the students so that they can reach home before curfew time 99% by 3Pm had left school”said Ivuto.

 

The school had 113 students, 53 boys and 62girls.

 

Ends…

Kirinyaga takes covid campaign as third wave is expected to be severe

As the threat of the third covid wave becomes a reality, an intensive sensitization campaign has been launched in Kirinyaga County.

 

Through the County Informational and Public Communication Office, the three day campaign is meant to alert the residents of the consequences should they fail to strictly observe the prescribed protective protocols by the government .

 

While launching the campaign outside his County Headquarters Tuesday Morning , Kirinyaga Central Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege urged locals to disregard the negative propaganda being peddled around about the Covid- 19 jab .

 

“I want to assure everybody that there is no government anywhere in the world will allow its citizens to be injected with a harmful vaccine ,”he stressed.

 

Ndege said the vaccine being used was providing 80 per cent protection against the infection of the pandemic and wondered why anyone in his right sense should engage in the negative propaganda.

 

He asked those yet to receive the first jab to visit the nearest Health facility and get inoculated against the killer pandemic to avoid regrets.

 

“This pandemic is costly to treat since it can cost a family up to sh 1 million to treat a single patient and you can now imagine how many Kenyans can afford this kind of treatment due to the prevailing economic hardships and this is why we are urging you to stay safe , “ Ndega said.

 

He said the campaigns will be conducted under strict covid -19 protocols to avoid people congregating since the spread of the pandemic is through large gatherings .

 

The County Information Officer John Irungu said the campaign would be taken up to the door steps of various families to ensure families received the message meant to safeguard them against the killer disease.

 

He said his team which has been tasked with the campaign had since hit the road running and would even visit the furthest end of the county at Kiumbu , Kamwana, Kiangai , Kariti up to Makutano .

 

“We will also be speaking to those attending markets from distance since we have powerful public address system just to ensure neither our crew nor the residents were endangered during the message delivery ,”he said.

 

 ends..

Grub worm destroying Muguka in Kirinyaga

 Grub worm destroying Muguka in Kirinyaga

Manure worms have invaded Miraa farms in Kirinyaga County.

Grub worms have invaded Kirinyaga are wreaking havoc on Muguka farms.

Farmers are worried that the worms will wipe out thousands of acres of their crop if urgent measures are not taken.

In Kirinyaga, they have infested Mugambaciura, Kanjinji, Murinduko and Ngucui where muguka is grown in large scale.

The grubs which are giant larva is attacking the plant roots, leaving them to die and drying up.

Farmers started uprooting some of the affected muguka stems.

Maina said that most farmers have been using manure to enrich the plants, without knowing that they are taking the larva to the crop.

The most affected crops are where farmers have been using manure to enrich them, the larva has been transported right from the cowsheds o the farm said Maina.

Mercy Kamau a farmer in Mugambaciura said, "I'm losing Sh30,000 every week following the invasion of my one acre of muguka farm and it is now difficult for me to meet all my financial obligations.

Farmers said the pesticide used has turned out to be resistant calling for assistance.

"The chemicals we buy from the market are not killing the worms and we need to be helped," added Ms Kamau.

The farmers are now turning to ingenious methods like applying ashes to control the worms that still not working.

"We are applying ashes in a bid to control these pests. We are also removing out the worms and crushing them. However, the methods are not very effective," another farmer Ann Wawira lamented.

Most farmers depend on Muguka for their livelihood saying it is getting hard to provide basics due to the low income they are getting from the yields.

"Muguka is the only remaining crop which is giving us good money but it is now being destroyed. We need a solution to the problem," said Musyoka

An agricultural scientist Dr. John Wanyaga said such worms are highly destructive and they should be tamed as soon as possible.

Wanyaga said there are good chemicals which can be sprayed and get rid of the worms.

"Chemicals used to kill cutworms are the same ones which are sprayed on grub worms. Farmers should go for them to save their Muguka crop," he said.

He has however called on farmers to stop panicking saying the worm is controllable.

Ends

Environmentalists call upon the government not to lift moratorium.

Environmentalists call upon the government not to lift moratorium.

Environmentalists want the government not to lift the moratorium on logging activities in public forests saying the forest cover was still low in the country.

Led by Kirinyaga United Forum patron Kamau Kibanya who is also a lawyer, they said that allowing logging, at the time when the forest cover is markedly low would have an effect on water levels in most rivers.

He said that the government needed to fast track the addition of forest cover-before removing the moratorium.

He was speaking at Murinduko hill forest in Mwea East during a tree planting exercise  on Saturday where over 4,500 seedlings  were planted.

According to Julian Wanja, Chairman  of Green Spaces, the partnership between Kenya Forest service, Netfund, Tana water works agency and Kirinyaga united Forum, is to see that the county plant trees in badly degraded areas.

Simon Muriuki, secretary Murinduko Community Forest Association said they have so far planted 50 hectares of degraded land affected by deforestation and overgrazing.

Kenya forest manager Anthony Kinyua said that they had give farmers trees to plant in their land to stop over over dependence on the public forests.

Ends…./

A couple in Kirinyaga county welcomes triplets after three miscarriages

A couple in Kirinyaga county welcomes triplets after three miscarriages.

Grace Wambui, 32, dropped out of school after being partially blind. It is during this stay away from school that she met the love of her life Peter Muthii whom she agreed to marry.

They were blessed with their 12 year old daughter who is in class seven at the moment.

Wambui and her husband Muthii are casual labourers in nearby French bean shambas, where the pay is very little-make sh300 a day.

When she attended antenatal clinic at the Kerugoya referral hospital this January, she was told she was carrying triplets, news that shocked her.

She was lost in thoughts on how her life has drastically changed-have additional mouths to feed yet we are struggling to feed ourselves.

“We were three in our home, now additional three have come how is life going to be like, we are  casual labourers who are struggling to make ends meet” said Wambui.

Wambui already had three miscarriages for the twelve years she has been married though she had planned to have just one more child and concentrate on bringing up the two-but now they are four.

 She said that on April 22, during the antenatal clinic visit at the Kerugoya referral where she had been sent to where she developed a sharp pain on her lower belly and at the back, where she was wheeled to the maternity ward.

“I felt a sharp pain on my lower abdomen and at the back, the nurses had to wheel me to the maternity ward since I could not stand or even feel my legs” said Wambui.

In her lineage, her grandmother who she is named after had twins-cleared her thoughts but maintains she would have given birth to two and not three just like her grandmother.

”I would have given birth to twins since my grandmother had twins-triplets were a shock to me” Wambui added.

She woke up to be informed by her doctor that she had delivered three identical girls.

Sharteen Nyakio, Shantel Nyambura and Sharon Nyawira weighed 1.57kg, 1.57kg and 1.56kg, respectively. All were underweight and had to be put in incubators.

"I could not believe it until I saw them. I was told the babies were in good condition but they had to remain in the incubators for a whole month until each attained two kilos of weight," said Wambui.

"I was upset and many things went through my mind when I saw the babies. My biggest concern is finances, at the moment my husband is the one working as I look after the newborns" she said.

At the moment,Wambui is at her parents' home in Kirimunge village with her babies as a big space is needed and when she approached her parents, they did not turn her down.

"Life is becoming very difficult for us, I  plan to stay with my parents until the babies stop breast-feeding” she said.

"I will go back to our house when the babies stop breastfeeding, the milk for the three is not even enough, though my parents are equally poor, they have a big room for me and my babies," she said. I appeal to well-wishers and the government for assistance.

"What we need most at the moment is milk and clothes," she added.

"My in-laws understand the problem I'm facing and that is why they have temporarily accommodated my wife and the babies," said Mr Muthii.

 ends...