The youngest I.C.T user.

For the last several weeks, we have become accustomed to a babyish cry rending the air in morning. It’s from Brian a three years old boy resisting his mothers wish to proceed with journey. He wants to get in a rare affinity to computers. Wherever his mother passes near the Maarifa centre, the mother’s love in Brian is replaced by the love for computers! Unless he is hungry he can sit before the computer doing amazing things the whole day. 

 Wherever he enters the centre Brian who only speaks mother tongue, have the courtesy to request for permission to operate the computer. When permission is granted, he doesn’t require assistance, he knows which button to press and the machine comes to life. Nothing else makes more sense to Brian than the computer games, which he plays with gusto. This could easily be dismissed as childhood fantasy, but I think if looked critically it can be early signs of a career choice.

Photo story

The drip irrigation Kit, exhibited by the
ministry of agriculture, in Olmoran Division

Bett Kipsang the Ngarua Field officer
Addressing a group of women during a
Field day in Olmoran, Laikipia.  

  

Mr. John Kimaiyo the Assistant chief, Wangwachi sub-location carry tree seedlings, for planting
at Sipili primary. 

  

Indigenous crops: Understanding millet.

Definition:

Francis Kiarahu: Farmer harvesting Millet

Millet refers to a group of annual grasses mainly found in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Millet belongs to 5 genera: Penissetum, Eleusine, Setaria, Panicum & Paspalum.These grasses produces small seeded grains and are often cultivated as cereals. Millets can be used as grain or forage. When used as grain they are categorized as cereals. Read full story.

Mursik: Indigenous Milk Preservation Technology among the Kalenjins of Kenya.

By Bett Kipsang

Kenya is famous for its world conquering athletes who transverse the globe raking in medals and cash prizes. After various competitions the athletes are usually welcomed back home with jubilant singing, dancing and hoisting of the national flag. The Kalenjin community from the Rift Valley is famous for giving returning champions a drink of traditionally fermented milk known as mursik from a colourful gourd or sotet. As the following story demonstrates, mursik is a popular traditional beverage that has attained modern commercial value and its preparation is a science and skilful art. Read full story.

Is ‘‘Amaranth’’ the grain for the future?

By Peter Maina Mwaniki.

Mwaniki is a small-scale farmer living in the outskirts of Sipili trading centre, Sipili division in Laikipia County. Have been growing Grain Amaranth in small quantities, but he now advises that it is a crop worth growing for its nutritional value.

Grain Amaranth is regarded with great importance in many parts of the world. In U.S.A it is referred to as super grain or wonder grain, the Greeks refer to as immortal or living forever. They also say that the crop does not wither, Indians call it Ramadara meaning seed from God or Rajigia meaning kings seed. Read full story.

An ICT tool Spicing up information sharing.

A group of women enjoys the music and films form an ipod.

In October 2010, we visited a village deep in the rural parts of Olmoran in Laikipia, where we met an old woman, whom we asked her to show us the direction to Dam-Samaki where the field day was held. The jovial old woman showed us the direction, and encouraged us that we were almost getting there. She was also attending the field day. We left her behind because she was on foot as we were riding on a motorbike. Read full story.

Networking and collaboration with Stakeholders

The following are highlights of an agricultural field day held in collaboration with National Agricultural and Livestock Extension Program, (N.A.L.E.P), at a place called Olmoran approximately 20 km from Sipili town where the Ngarua Maarifa Center is located.
 Olmoran is a cosmopolitan division, home to different ethnic communities: like the Pokots, Turkana, Kalenjin and Kikuyu. The field day took place at a farm in a village called Dam Samaki about five kilometers away from Olmoron trading center. Read full story 

Laikipia Centre for Knowledge and information LACKIN implementing N.M.K's grant.

Mrs. Kigano inspecting cassava with Mr.
Mwaniki a member of Ngarua facal group 

  The community capacity building initiatives being spearheaded by the Arid land Information Network (ALIN) in Ngarua has come of age. The community groups, which showed keen interest in ALIN’s programs, can now show the results; a typical example is Ngarua focal, which has grown to a Community Based Organization, formally registered with the name “Laikipia Center for Knowledge and Information. (LACKIN). The latter is currently hosting ALIN in Ngarua and both are stakeholders running the Ngarua Maarifa Center. Read full story.