tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54709302285309772892024-03-12T20:05:51.244-07:00 NG'ARUA MAARIFA CENTRENg'arua Maarifa Centre was established by ALIN, to be used by the rural communities to access; free internet, E-government services, multimedia content, online market information, publications and library, advisory services and ICT trainings.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.comBlogger363125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-87466743144588324542018-07-04T22:55:00.000-07:002018-07-04T22:57:57.049-07:00Job vacancy at ALIN
By ALIN
ALIN has received a grant from the Agile and Harmonized Assistance
for Devolved Institutions (AHADI) funded by USAID and UKaid to implement a 5
month’s project on Enhancing Access to Information held by Meru County
Government.
To support this initiative, ALIN seeks to recruit a Policy
Engagement Officer, M&E Officer and a Digital Content Editor. Download
advert http://alin.net/i/Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-25463232028245717422018-06-08T03:31:00.000-07:002018-06-08T03:31:49.286-07:00Joto Afrika: Taking Stock Since the Paris Climate Agreement
By Bob Aston
The Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is pleased to present Joto Afrika issue 23- Taking Stock Since the Paris Climate Agreement. The issue is a joint effort between ALIN and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry through the Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) Project.
The Paris Climate Agreement came into force on 4th November 2016 after setAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-8986959570758398702017-11-07T04:03:00.000-08:002017-11-07T04:10:00.640-08:00Joto Afrika: Implementing Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution
By Bob Aston
The Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is pleased to present Joto Afrika
issue 22- Implementing Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The
issue is a joint effort between ALIN and the Ministry of Environment and
Natural Resources through the Low Emission and Climate Resilient
Development (LECRD) Project.
Page 1 of Joto Afrika issue 22
In Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-39879551123263679942017-09-15T06:01:00.000-07:002017-11-07T03:56:06.124-08:00Joto Afrika issue 21 is out
By Bob Aston
The Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is pleased to present issue 21 of Joto Afrika newsletter. The issue is a joint effort between ALIN and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources through the Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) Project.
Joto Afrika, meaning “Africa is feeling the heat’ in Kiswahili is a series of printed Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-76182887816086328682017-07-09T23:06:00.002-07:002017-07-09T23:08:34.970-07:00Islamic finance provides Kenyans with cushion against drought
By Zoe Tabary
WAJIR, Kenya -
Hamara Hujale tries to keep an eye on two squirming children and a pot of
simmering ugali – a white doughy dish – as she reaches for her buzzing phone.
After speaking
a few words, she hangs up and scribbles in a wrinkled notebook.
"My
driver has found another customer so won't be back for another 30
minutes," she says with a satisfied smile.
Hujale, who lives
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-69835838372009208142017-06-08T06:40:00.002-07:002017-06-08T06:42:58.286-07:00Kenya's parched farmers stop ploughing but harvest more food and jobs
By Isaiah Esipisu
IMENTI, Kenya
- On a five-acre piece of land being prepared for planting, James Mwenda shouts
at his two oxen, commanding them to move in a straight line as they pull a
ripper that cuts a long slit into the unploughed ground.
The
"low-till" farming system – in which land is no longer ploughed and
seeds are slotted into largely undisturbed soil – is gaining fans in
drouga Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-33525120296840760162017-05-03T05:53:00.001-07:002017-05-03T05:57:28.003-07:00Agriculture reality show launched in Kenya
By Bob Aston
The creators of Kenya’s first makeover television series Shamba Shape Up have introduced the first agriculture reality TV show in East Africa. Robert Godec, the United States Ambassador to Kenya launched Don’t Lose the Plot (DLTP) TV show at PAWA 254 in Nairobi, Kenya on May 2, 2017.
Don't Lose the Plot presenters @DLTP
The show features four young farmers from Kenya and Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-21636083254243805592017-05-02T01:45:00.003-07:002017-05-02T01:45:31.778-07:00App helps Kenya’s small farmers tackle pests, map crops
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By Caroline Wambui
KATHERI, Kenya
- Sitting under a cypress tree on his farm to escape the scorching heat,
Michael Mwenda is deeply engrossed in his phone.
"I am
getting the latest info on diseases attacking French beans," he said.
"My neighbours' beans were attacked by a pest and I don't want the same
thing to happen to mine."
Farmers in
KatheriAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-89133870225738546512017-04-28T02:38:00.000-07:002017-04-28T02:41:54.060-07:00Joto Afrika issue 20 is out
By Bob Aston
The Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is pleased to present issue 20 of Joto Afrika newsletter. The issue is a joint effort between ALIN and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources through the Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) Project.
Joto Afrika issue 20
Funding for the LECRD Project is by the United States Agency for Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-39605363920434691122017-04-23T21:31:00.002-07:002017-04-23T21:35:23.596-07:00Sokopepe issue 3: Farm records for improved productivity
By Bob Aston
We are pleased to present issue 3 of Sokopepe Newsletter. The issue is a joint effort between Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) and Sokopepe Ltd.
The end of March 2017 marked the end of a successful roll-out phase of the Farm Records Management Information System (FARMIS) innovation by Sokopepe Ltd in the nine Sub Counties of Meru. This followed a pilot phase in five sub Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-6742106058123119622017-04-06T00:26:00.002-07:002017-04-06T00:31:50.388-07:00Nurse with a passion for agribusiness
Thomas Ngaruiya
In Muiriene village in the heart of Meru County, Mrs. Doris Mutirithia’s 1-acre farm has since 2010 helped to support her family by paying school fees for her two children through the proceeds received from the sale of farm produce.
In a good season, the government nurse at Kibaranyaki Hospital in Imenti Central makes more than 100,000 from the sale of cabbages, capsicum, Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-43291259092876177422017-03-16T00:48:00.003-07:002017-03-16T00:54:34.697-07:00Banked farmers learning how to manage risks
By Bob Aston
Access to
financial services is about to provide an opportunity for Kairiri Forest Users
and Conservation Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Timau area of Meru
County to deal with crop failure. Most of the members had contemplated quitting
farming this year after the crop failure.
Sokopepe has been supporting the CBO to
increase productivity and profitability of its members. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-63034986893601543782017-03-08T04:23:00.000-08:002017-03-08T04:25:07.615-08:00Be bold for change: Women making a difference
By Bob Aston
Today Sokopepe joins the World in celebrating the International Women Day 2017. This year’s theme is “Be Bold for Change.” The annual celebration is marked on March 8. This year’s celebration not only honours women who took the step to be bold for change, but also challenges everyone to take calculated and intentional bold steps to effect change in their own small way.
Sokopepe Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-75265461737946420752017-03-01T01:21:00.001-08:002017-03-01T01:24:36.521-08:00Kenyan farmers tackle crop failure by swapping seeds for seedlings
By Caroline Wambui
RUMURUTI, Kenya – Dressed in a navy blue sweater and a grey pair of trousers, David Mwangi bends to examine a bunch of ripe tomatoes.
In this central region of Kenya, farmers’ crops struggle to germinate because of irregular and unpredictable rainfall and temperatures, leading to high crop failure. But some farmers are now turning to seed propagation, whereby their seeds Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-75438756328428361782017-02-16T06:01:00.002-08:002017-02-16T06:03:51.202-08:00Leveraging on partnerships that helps farmers access biological pest control
By Bob Aston
Sokopepe and Kenya Biologics Ltd on February 10, 2017, at Methodist Bio-Intensive Agriculture Training Centre in Meru County strengthened their partnership when the Kenya Biologics Ltd took the Sokopepe team through Trainer of Trainers (TOT) on innovative natural solutions for pest control.
The two companies signed a partnership agreement in December 2016 to help in adoptions ofAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-32397758534615116652017-02-09T07:49:00.001-08:002017-02-16T05:57:43.861-08:00Sokopepe Newsletter: Enhancing informed farmer decision making
By Bob Aston
We are pleased to present issue 2 of Sokopepe Newsletter. The issue is a joint effort between Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) and Sokopepe Ltd.
This is an exciting third year for Sokopepe. We welcomed 2017 with a strong commitment and enthusiasm. This year promises to bring a lot of success for Sokopepe owing to the magnificent work that we did in 2016.
Sokopepe Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-27502966566265388862017-02-07T04:19:00.000-08:002017-02-07T04:21:07.603-08:00Home-grown Kenyan solar farm powers computers - and protects girls
By Benson Rioba
OLOSHO-OIBOR, Kenya - When the first few residents of this village in the Ngong hills installed solar panels, nearly a decade ago, the only aim was to power their own homes, as their town had no connection to the national power grid.
But today the community, south of Nairobi in the Rift Valley, is buzzing with solar and wind energy, which powers everything from the dispensaryAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-15452962817720130092017-01-25T00:31:00.004-08:002017-01-25T00:33:17.084-08:00Kenyan irrigation app aims to cut water waste, crop losses
By Caroline Wambui
KUNENE - Dressed in brown overalls, gumboots and a hat, John Njeru kneels and scoops up a handful of soil at his small farm in central Kenya, where he grows tomatoes, spinach and carrots.
"Not only has there not been enough rain in the past few months, it's also been unevenly distributed," he said, picking through the earth in his hand. "This destroys our crops."
Dealing Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-26313848147818776532017-01-19T03:15:00.001-08:002017-01-19T03:18:06.445-08:00Learning from our past and building on our achievements
By Bob Aston
This is an exciting third year for Sokopepe. We have welcomed 2017 with a strong commitment and enthusiasm. This year promises to bring a lot of success for Sokopepe owing to the magnificent work that we did in 2016.
Last year we showed that farm records are a powerful resource for Agribusiness. We have learned a lot during this period. Our conviction that farm records are key Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-48548213577734586062017-01-16T22:01:00.000-08:002017-01-16T22:03:24.219-08:00Kenya prepares to expand solar mini-grids into poorest rural areas
By Maina Waruru
NAIROBI – Kenya plans to launch a $150 million project this year to bring solar electricity to markets, schools, shops and homes in poor, off-grid areas without existing power access, officials say.
The effort, expected to receive World Bank funding in March, would bring mini-grid solar plants to areas of 14 counties categorised by Kenya’s government as marginalised, Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-89374571559797434872017-01-16T21:55:00.000-08:002017-01-16T21:58:01.794-08:00Kenyan farmers develop taste for insects as drought hurts crops
By Kagondu Njagi
WERU, Kenya - The knee-high dome on Ikung'u Kathimbu's farm in Weru village, eastern Kenya, shelters an unusual crop: a termite swarm.
Kathimbu walks around the structure covered with banana leaves, drumming on a tin-like vessel and stamping his feet on the ground.
"The noise is to make it sound like rainfall, so that the termites are tricked into coming out of the ground,"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-38645866637921343262017-01-10T00:32:00.002-08:002017-01-10T00:32:53.653-08:00The six most read Sokopepe articles in 2016
By Bob Aston
Hello friends! Happy 2017!
From Sokopepe fraternity we wish you a Happy New Year and a fantastic 2017. This is an exciting third year for Sokopepe. We are facing so many wonderful opportunities as well as challenges.
Farmers learning about Sokopepe during a field day in Meru,Kenya
In 2016, Sokopepe showed how farm records are a powerful resource for Agribusiness. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-48045583324748970592017-01-10T00:22:00.001-08:002017-01-10T00:24:46.077-08:00Building resilience through financial inclusion
By Getrude Lung’ahi
Vulnerable communities tend to have little to no access to affordable credit to anticipate and cope with shocks. Pre and post-disaster liquidity is critical for them to protect livelihoods in times of weather shocks.
In Wajir County, Kenya, the problem is compounded by the fact that the predominantly Muslim population lacks access to Shariah-compliant financial services –Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-26713271655235190082016-11-20T23:48:00.002-08:002016-11-21T00:17:54.733-08:00Lead farmers proving important in innovations adoptions
By Bob Aston
The t-shirt attracted his attention. He wondered what the inscribed word ‘Sokopepe’ meant. He read the word ‘Farm records, Profitable and Agribusiness’ at the back of the t-shirt and his curiosity rose.
He approached the person wearing the t-shirt, introduced himself as Mr. Joseph Kaaria Mberia and asked:” What is Sokopepe all about?”
Over a glass of milk at Meru Dairy Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470930228530977289.post-59374062065144823862016-11-20T23:41:00.003-08:002016-11-20T23:43:24.535-08:00Access to finance enables farmers to enjoy new opportunities
By Bob Aston
She used to abhor planting seasons, as she had to contend with high input costs. Difficulties in accessing affordable credit have always been a strain on her small farm. This season, she was fortunate to get a Kilimo Bora loan after Sokopepe linked her to a micro finance institution.
Mrs. Emery Kawira, a smallholder farmer from Kiirua area of Buuri Sub County in Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04645515314471856321noreply@blogger.com0