Why I value the Maarifa centre: Charles Ngoro.

 Charles Ngoro is a frequent user of Ngarua maarifa centre in Sipili. The 60 year old farmer lives in Karaba village of Muhotetu division, Laikipia County.  Ngoro have been borrowing books and accessing information from the centre for a long time. He reads magazines and other publications. Whenever he returns the publication, he is always armed with a story to tell of what he has learned. 

In august 2011, he borrowed a magazine; ‘‘footsteps issue 48’’. The magazine featured articles on traditional medicine.  He was highly impressed by the title since he wanted to learn the relationships between modern medicine and traditional medicine. Immediately he signed the issuance book. I went with him to the Maarifa library to search for another book on poultry feeds formulation, I picked a pamphlet and he could easily pose; ‘’ I have already read that one’’. 

Read full story

Human wildlife conflict; Laikipia west.

‘‘Human-wildlife conflict referrers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the resultant negative impact on people or their resources, or wild animals or their habitat, it occurs when wildlife needs overlap with those of human populations, creating costs to residents and wild animals’’ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

  Such conflicts are witnessed in human settlement bordering animal sanctuaries and conservancies. Laikipia west is dotted with forests and conservancies home to wild animals. The rise in human population calls for increased and expansion of development, the global climate changes and other human and environmental factors puts people and wildlife in greater direct competition for the ever diminishing resources. Read full story.

ALIN family in tears of joy as news of ATLA Award trickles in.

Young children reading story books

 Arid lands Information network ALIN is the 2011’s winner of Access to Learning Award (ATLA). The award is given each year by the foundation's Global Libraries initiative, as a recognition for innovative efforts of public libraries or similar organizations outside the United States to connect people to information through free access to computers and the Internet’’.

 The award is a timely recognition of ALIN's noble idea of connecting the marginalized communities in the Arid and semi Arid regions of East Africa with knowledge by setting up 12 (Maarifa) Knowledge centers.  

 The centers are used by communities to access information and share knowledge via internet, library material including books, CD Roms, computers and word of mouth. 

Outreach activities are organized where communities interact and engage in information sharing through many ways customized suit their needs. 

The 12 maarifa centres are also important dissemination points for ALIN's publications like the Boabab, Joto Africa and a wide range of information materials to meet the needs of the communities.

Knowledge access through Interactive video shows.

By Bett Kipsang

 Ngarua Maarifa centre is one of ALIN’s many telecentres and acts an information hub serving the communities of Laikipia West through the provision of information aimed at enhancing livelihoods. The old adage ‘‘Knowledge is power’’ is the backbone of our endeavors and our users access Information free of charge, through the internet, books, magazines and development DVDs.

Film review

 For some time now I have been exploring the most effective ways of sharing information. The second weekend of the month of August 2011 is a time I will never forget. This is the time when I started practicing one of the most engaging methods of disseminating information to communities. Read full story.

NG'ARUA MAARIFA CENTRE: Small stock proves lucrative venture for small holders

NG'ARUA MAARIFA CENTRE: Small stock proves lucrative venture for small holders

Small stock proves lucrative venture for small holders

Five years ago, the probability of finding domesticated quails in central Kenya was virtually nil.
For years, the residents believed that the mid-sized birds, which are part of the pheasant family could not be tamed. They even coined a local saying expressing just how improbable it would prove to pull off such a feat.
But not any more. According to the latest Annual Livestock Production (ALP) report, farmers in the province have been breaking new ground in the rearing of animals that have long been traditionally shunned. Read full story

Gender disparity in knowledge access.

  Each time I analyze the data of people using the Ngarua Maarifa Centre to access information and knowledge, I never cease to wonder about the great gender disparity among visitors. I had never had a good answer for anyone wanting to know the reason why women visiting the Maarifa centre, are far less than men! The disparity is indeed great and calls for appropriate action to reverse the trend.

As I write this I have gotten an idea of how the disparity could have come to be. This is a brief account of what happened at the center one day, an experience, I thought could just be a tip of the iceberg in gender inequality and discrimination. Read full story

''Failure to have good business plan is planning to fail''

 Nothing got my eyes and grabbed and fixed my attention on my favorite ''Standard'' newspaper today than  the story by  peter Kamuri. The article by the above title is a must read for many people aspiring to start and run successful businesses. Read the story

Collaborative conservation projects

Introduction.

Advocacy on environmental awareness is yielding positive results in Sipili, where stakeholders in development works with community groups to initiate and develop awareness creation structures to ensure people’s participation, ownership and sustainability of projects. A community group called ‘‘Leleshwa ‘A’ youth dam self help group’’, is running a tree planting project at Leleshwa Dam. The project involves a vegetable garden, tree nursery and a tree-planting plot.  Read full story

Commercializing small scale agriculture

The demand for sorghum in Kenya has shot up dramatically following the decision by the East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) to use the produce for manufacture of one of its beer brands, suppliers contracted by the beer maker said.
"The demand is very high and farmers are unable to meet it. So we are now importing," said Rose Mutuku, the Managing Director of Smart Logistics Solution, a company that is coordinating out grower sorghum farmers on behalf of EABL. Read full story

A Community member donates books to the Maarifa center.

Bett receives the publication from Philip

Gitonga 

  Ng’arua Maarifa center have received, eight publications from Philip Gitonga a 55 year old community member and beneficiary of free I.C.T training who completed last year. 

The ICT skills attained after the training have assisted him in research and faster processing of information without assistance unlike before.

  Gitonga brought in the magazines, which includes ‘‘Guidelines for production of healthy seed potatoes in east central Africa’’ by KARI, International Dairy topics, cooking with mushrooms, and others. Gitonga have a home library of about 200 publications, sourced from research institutions, some were bought by him.

‘‘The research materials are good for the public to access learn and make informed choices in regard to agriculture’’ said Gitonga.

 He has a background in applied biology where he retired after working for KARI among other companies. Gitonga finds the Idea of setting up the Maarifa center in Ng’arua unique, especially the free and universal access to information and learning through book, internet and computer trainings.

Kids in search of knowledge

Young children finds learning enjoyable at Ng'arua maarifa centre. They enjoy typing their names and playing computer games. They have little technophobia than most grown ups.

''Culture shock'' In the eyes of peggie.

 Africa is inhabited by cultural communities, and hence the introduction of cultural studies in the institutions of higher learning. Peggie Rua Matti, is a student at daystar university, her internship gave her the experience and adventure to the farthest conners of Laikipia. she is here at the Ngarua Maarifa center, where she has started taking community classes on community journalism. The Maarifa center promotes the access of information by the rural folks through ICTs. Her story on ''Culture shock'' posted on the community journalism blog, gives readers insights on how things are happening in other cultural environments. Read More

FeedBack on Free Computer training

 Computer trainees at N'garua Maarifa Center are highly appreciating the services offered, http://ngaruamaarifa.blogspot.com/2010/06/value-of-ict-training-to-people-of.html Most notably are the free computer training and free internet access which has given them an opportunity to connect with the rest of the world. Youths are not left behind, a good case is an email sent to N'garua Maarifa center by a satisfied trainee.
  ---------- Email message ----------

From: NANCY MAINA Date: Sat, Mar 12, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Subject: COMPUTER TRAINING; To: ngaruackc@gmail.com
''Due to  the  advacement  that  is  going on in  the  world,  its  a treasure  that
NG'ARUA  MAARIFA  CENTER is  giving  people a  chance  to  be enlightened
with  the  information  technology.

Thanks  to  the  CKC for  being  so  concerned with  the  ongoing  of  the  people
living  around  them. Thanks  for connecting  us  to  world  through  the  internet.''

Nancy Maina

Free Internet enabled online registration of KNEC Candidates.

The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has introduced online registration of K.C.P.E candidates. Many schools in the rural areas could not easily access the system produced by KNEC, being the first time to register online. The N’garua Maarifa Centre with a role of bridging the digital divide in rural arid areas visited the site and downloaded the registration form.

 KNEC had stated that schools have to have access to a computer and the internet, those who don’t should visit any cyber cafe which are connected to the internet and ask for assistance. For that reason one of our former students and head teacher in one of the schools around this area called the Maarifa center seeking assistance. Through him, other schools got the information and came to the center to be assisted with registration, which was not easy because it was a piloting project for the KNEC. Read Full story.

Viewing ‘‘Blogs’’ as new information powerhouses.

The term blog or weblog has become popular only recently According to Wikipedia (2004), a Weblog is “a Web application that contains periodic, reverse chronologically ordered posts on a common Web page”.

 The term Weblog was coined by Jorn Barger in December 1997 and the first Weblog was built by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN. This was also the first Website (http://info.cern.ch/. Peter Scott defines a blog as “a page containing brief, chronologically arranged item of information. A blog can take the form of a diary, journal, what’s new page or links to other websites” Read full story.

How I started Rabbits Rearing; Karanja.

To start rearing rabbits, is as easy as getting a female (doe) and a buck (male), once they start kindling they multiply rapidly. But that could not happen easily to Karanja, first; Rabbits in the community were a preserve of young boys, who kept them as pets for pleasure. ‘‘I started backyard rabbits keeping four yeas ago, without prior knowledge nor interest in the matter. Neither was my attention focused on the small animals’’ said Karanja, a rabbits farmer from Sipili in Laikipia county.

Karanja’s younger son bought one female rabbit and borrowed a male one from a friend; his father took care of them when the boy goes to school. Since then, rabbits started to multiply and there was a ready source of meat for the family. Little by little and Karanja was learning a new trick of solving a problem in the family! Though initially it never occurred to him that one day he will venture into rabbits keeping as an enterprise. Read full story

Untapped potential of small stocks.

Francis Kinyanjui holds a mature
Rabbit near the Maarifa center

 Livestock are an important part of livelihood systems for many poor rural populations in developing countries. ‘‘Small stocks’’ decreases the vulnerability to poverty, especially since it’s more accessible to greater numbers of poor households.
 Francis Kinyanjui a small-scale farmer in Ngarua Division, have demonstrated resilience in small stocks farming. He keeps a stock of over two hundred rabbits, which have multiplied since he started rabbits rearing for his livelihood, four years ago. In spite of the challenges associated with his choice of occupation, he is not giving up.Read full story

BPO OPPORTUNITIES IN THE OFFING

By Bett Kipsan'g

The stiff competition experienced by commercial companies coupled with changing economic times have given an edge to the new idea of Business Process Outsourcing (B.P.O). To cut the costs of operation, companies are laying off workers to enable them concentrate on the core businesses, non-core activities are outsourced to other players at relatively low cost. The smart company section of the daily nation have featured a real life story with a title '' Labour pains of call centre outsourcing'' and the story goes: ''In August this year, an employee of a mobile phone operator had planned to wed his long-time sweetheart. He planned to finance the wedding with savings from the salary he earns as a call-centre operator at Essar Telecom Kenya, which runs the yu mobile brand in Kenya.

“I have not informed anyone including my fiance,” says the employee, who talked on condition of anonymity because of the embarrassment this would cause. “But I have cancelled my wedding plans. I cannot afford it with my new salary.” Read full story. 

Property lost in midnight fire

The small scale traders in Sipili trading center in laikipia county, are counting loses incurred, when their hard earned property went up in midnight flames.

Property of unknown value was destroyed by the raging fires which gutted through shops made of timber. The cause of the fire has not been known, but residents attributes it to an exploded cooking stove.

Trades watched helplessly, since they had no means of putting off the fire, the fire engines can only be found in big towns.

New cash crop to replace conventional farming.

With widespread knowledge of agribusiness, farmers in ng’arua are quickly adopting and planting high value and drought tolerant crops. For many years, Peter Muturi Luka, have been planting maize in a three-quarter-acre farm, the maize yield were far from enough for his family needs.

 The highest he could expect was five to eight thousand shillings in a year; to make matters worse he lives with the risk of watching his crops wither due to frequent long dry spells common in laikipia. Read more.

Leleshwa Agricultural field day.

The Ngarua Maarifa Center participated in an agricultural field day held at the farm of Mr. Ndirangu Waruingi of Leleshwa village, Muhotetu division on 19^TH Jan 2010. 127 community members attended the field day, (84-M & 43-F). 10 stakeholders also attended from NGOs, CBO, Banks, companies and self help groups. 

 Ngarua Maarifa Center.

The Ngarua Maarifa center’s stand was strategically set up at the entrance of the farm. We displayed our magazines, books, and people watched videos in Ipods. Read more.

Kenyan beats ICT world to Sh80m

A week ago, Mr John Waibochi was having drinks with his peers at a Nairobi hotel discussing his child’s birthday party held the previous weekend.

‘Murats’ (as his peers call him), concerned about what the future held for his child, spoke passionately about how he wanted to create opportunities for the millions of unemployed youth in Kenya. And on Wednesday night, the 40-something former St Mary’s graduate was catapulted to the world stage when he received a Sh80 million ($1 million) grant from mobile manufacturer Nokia for his software creation. Read More..

Safer Agro-chemicals: Blending indigenous knowledge with the new technologies.

                       

Mr William Businei displays dead pests during 

his field trials where he used homemade agro-chemicals

 in his backyard garden.  Photo By BILLY MUTAI

 A ten-year study on herbal agro-chemicals could be the next frontier in safer and sustainable small scale farming, that is if William Businei’s initiative will be explored for large-scale production. Busienei of Koko’s herbal International disclosed that he acquired the skills from his farther who was a renown traditional healer in his community in the sixties.

 WIth a background indigenous knowledge, the Nakuru-based medic has invented a viable herbal pesticides and acaricides for controlling aphids, warms, mosquitoes, cattle ticks and for general disinfections. The product was tested and certified by Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Muguga South and the pests controls indicated positive results with between 90 percent and 100 percent effectiveness.

Among the remedies he has produced include control of Diamond Black Moth (DBM), in kales and cabbage, Boll Warms in Tomatoes, Mites in Irish potatoes and Black Aphids in beans all with 100 percent

effectiveness.“The pesticides also have 90 percent positive results in controlling of mites in Managu, aphids in kales and cabbage and red spider mites in tomatoes,” said the herbalist. 

The new herbal discovery could lead to a re-awakening of conscience among the communities living in the natural environment to look at the indigenous vegetation as a source of wealth and solutions to the farming challenges, hence mitigation of climate change effects. 

Delivering information to the grassroots communities.

     

The Ngarua Maarifa centre is committed to take the message deep into the grassroots communities by all-means, that includes the use of books, magazines, demonstrations, word of mouth and technological innovations, this photograph shows women from a village called survey, 

in Olmoran division of Laikipia county. The group of women were thrilled by the ipod.

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.   

The impact of Ngarua Media Encounter.

The impact of Ngarua media encounter is impressive; the reports on the Radio and television reached and sensitized many people about the services offered at the Ngarua Maarifa center. On Wednesday 30th/09/ 2010, just a day after the television news went on air, we started receiving phone calls and special visitors who are keenly interested to know what goes on at the Maarifa center. Read more

Farmer to farmer exchange visits.

  The members of Laikipia Center for Knowledge and information (LACKIN), and Ngarua ALIN focal group are unique in the way they share knowledge. Farmer-to-farmer exchange visits organized every month, where participants’ visits each other’s farms to learn new farming techniques, challenges and solutions to problems experienced. Read full  story. 

Healthiest Foods on Earth

1. Berries
All berries are low in sugar and high in fiber. Blueberries have been shown to increase memory in lab studies, and raspberries and strawberries are loaded with ellagic acid, a powerful antioxidant that seems to have some anti-cancer properties, according to the American Cancer Society. Read more.

The plight of small-scale Agro-traders.

 
Small-scale farmers in Ngarua are trying their best to make ends meet. The farmers struggle with unfavorable climatic conditions, but even when they have managed to produce crops, they are still faced with a bigger challenge of accessing better markets for their commodities.

For the last eleven years, Mr Kinyua have relied on small-scale agro-business. He operates a grocery at Sipili trading center and buys his wares from farmers within the area and even have to travel as far as Tanzania for other commodities that are not available locally, though some of the crops can grow in Sipili, most farmers lack the knowhow or even the seeds.

Youths finds treasure at Maarifa center.

The youths learning I.C.T at Ngarua maarifa centre have taken the responsibility to ensure that the latter shines clean before classes commence every morning. As the saying goes, ''cleanliness is next to godliness'' they made a duty roster, as a guided for all the students carry out the noble duty. Read full story.

 

Sharing about the services of the Ngarua Maarifa Center with farmers at Olomoran

''Fish and Frogs Rain'' Strange weather Occurence due to climate change.

Fish and frogs falling from the sky is an expected phenomenon, resulting from the stinging effects of climate change, Dr Mukabana of the metrological department said fish and frogs are sucked from the water surface by strong winds into the clouds, which eventually rain down all that has been collected.

When this happens on land, it is referred to as a tornado but if it occurs on water, it is called a waterspout.The Lake Victoria basin is among areas where this has been reported.

Knowledge makes the difference

  

 The arid and semi-arid areas are generally attributed, to prolonged droughts, famine, poor nutrition and many other negative attributes. Knowledge sharing with communities living in the semi arid zones of Laikipia has reversed the trend. Read full story.

Do you sit on a Gold mine?

 Many people in dry lands knows the value of water, to say that ‘water is life’ is more relevant to them than those in higher potential areas. People here have to go an extra mile and excavate the ground in search for the precious commodity. Read full story 

 

 

Adoption of Green house farming.

Tissue Culture Bananas; Alternative Agribusiness.

 Diffusion of knowledge among small scale farmers is one aspect leading to success in efforts to improve food security and household incomes. Communities in Ng’arua have started banana farming as an alternative agribusiness venture. The ALIN's Maarifa center has also upped the people's tendency and willingness to share whatever knowledge at their disposal.

 In the two minutes film, Mr. Charles Mureithi, explains to a woman how to plant and manage the tissue culture banana. Mureithi is the Chairman of a Local C.B.O, called ‘‘Laikipia Center for Knowledge and Information’’ (LACKIN) he also chairs the ALIN focal group which runs the Ngarua Maarifa center and is in the forefront in organizing and spearheading local community initiatives especially dealing with information sharing. 

Rural Women in Agribusiness

Women are the majority of rural dwellers, this is true considering that most men goes to urban areas to look for ''Employment''. Instead of being left without a source of income, Agribusiness has become an occupation of choice for rural women. They need support and access to better markets and they are as good in creating employment through farming. The video is about a woman going against all the climatic odds to earn a living form farming in the dry lands of Laikipa county.

Information changing the lives of rural farmers.

When the Ngarua Focal Group visited ''Good Shepherd's Children Home'' on a charity mission, they learned of many innovations, on arrival they shared with other members back home. When Mwangi got the information from his neighbor who had had just arrived from the trip. He resolved to fuel his vehicle and went back with the neighbor to see for himself. Read full

Juicy Crops of Sipili