by Maximilla Wafula

Dr David Amudavi Executive Director of the Biovision Africa Trust
Decried the dire cases of starvation facing millions
Of Kenyans against the backdrop of large untapped agricultural
Resources.

Speaking during the launch of its first Eastern africa agro ecology conference in Nairobi he says

‘It’s a crushing disappointment that we have people sleeping hungry
In Kenya and only less than a quarter of our land being put under
Productive use,’ said Dr Amudavi.

Embracing sustainable food production mechanisms and re-
Adoption of local inputs like farmer managed seeds – traditional – in
Agriculture will boost the drive towards food security in africa and
the world. Players in the sustainable farming systems under the umbrella of the
Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) have urged the public and
Private sectors to be cognizant of the negative effects of artificial
farming inputs that have continued to increase the pace of climate
change and hindered the regeneration of soils for agricultural
purposes.

He noted that adoption of safe farming methods and use of farmer-owned seeds that were traditionally used in the country is the only way to ensure that we can have continuous supply
of food for the population.

‘We have witnessed even our rivers drying in areas like Baringo yet they would be flowing with fresh water!’ said Dr Amudavi during the launch of the Agroecology Conference.

This conference aims to invoke consciousness and motivate regional and continental communities to dialogue how to invest in interventions which can ameliorate the negative
impacts of the current unsustainable food systems by
transitioning towards more environmentally friendly solutions
with long-term vision and planning.

Speaking during the launch, Ms Grace Mugo from the Ministry
of Agriculture noted that there is an urgent need to scale up and ensure sustainability of farming systems based on
environmentally friendly technologies and methodologies and
that the ministry was very much involved in
the drive towards ensuring food security in the country and urged all players in the private and public sector to consolidate efforts to ensure interventions towards food sustainability and
adopted and put into practice.
Ends …

Kenyans have been complaining about the high cost of tariffs with the government being called upon to cushion Kenyans from such.
Isaac Ndereva is the Executive Director … Electricity Consumers Society of Kenya. and he has lamented the high prices that continue to impoverish Kenyans.
Mr Ndereva also called upon the government to explore newer energy sources such as wind power or solar.
“98% of our power comes from hydroelectric and this is risky. For example during the dry seasons we have to undergo constant rationing and the high cost of Electricity which has continued to soar
He spoke in the sidelines of a public participation of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority
Laikipia woman representative Jane Kagiri In a notice motion, Kagiri says that the Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) has been buying large quantities of power from IPPs at exorbitant prices.
Instead, she argues that charges would have been lower if the utility company had bought electricity from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).
“Kenya Power has in the past procured a larger quantity of power from the IPPs at a greater cost, rather than from KenGen, leading to higher cost of power; cognizant of the fact that, there is need to put in place policies, strategies and regulatory measures for better planning to moderate the cost of electricity and enable access to energy by all particularly in the manufacturing sector to ease the cost of production and doing business,” Kagiri says.
KPLC has proposed a new tariff for domestic consumers that will see power charges rise by between 13 and 20 percent.
Consumers with a life-line consumption band of below 30 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will pay Sh20.5 per unit, up from the current Sh18.14, representing a 13 percent jump.
Out of the Sh20.5, Sh14 is the consumption charge, meaning Sh6.5 is on taxes and levies.
The MP wants the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy to investigate Kenya Power’s agreements with IPPs and stop new IPP contracts, among others.
“The Departmental Committee on Energy undertakes an inquiry into the operations of Kenya Power in relation to agreements entered into with IPPs, factors affecting the cost of electricity, including over-reliance on IPPs against available renewable and other energy sources, and measures to reduce it and submits a report to the House within one hundred and twenty (120) days

by James Waithaka

The Pest Control and Products Board is rolling out an ambitious program targeting capacity building for farmers in respect to safe use of pesticides.

Dr Esther Kimani is the Chief Executive Officer and in a farmer’s sensitisation event in Oljororok Nyandarua County she observed:

“it’s pertinent for the farmers to be equipped with the right information regarding safe use of pest control products. For example, we are advising farmers to avoid use of unregistered pest control products because they pose a risk to human health. Additionally, farmers are urged to follow label instructions strictly when usingpestcontrolproducts.”

On his part the pest control products board chairman Njoroge Kagwe observed that the board will be partnering with Counties to train farmers and spray service providers to enhance responsible use of pesticides.

PCPB has approved both conventional and biological pest control products for the management and control of diverse pests & diseases in various crops. The list of registered products is available on the PCPB website.

PCPB’s aim is to promote productivity while safeguarding human health and environment by providing world class regulation of pest control products.

by James Waithaka

Optiven Group Founder and Chief Executive Officer George Wachiuri has today attended a lecture. He notes

“Earlier Today, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture delivered by Mr. Titus Muya, the founder of Family Bank and a top entrepreneur in the region. As the CEO of Optiven, I am always looking for opportunities to learn from successful business leaders, and Mr. Muya’s lecture did not disappoint.

During the lecture, Mr. Muya shared his personal journey and experiences in starting and growing a successful business. His insights into the world of entrepreneurship and business were invaluable, and I was impressed by his persistence, hard work, and clear vision.

One of the key takeaways from Mr. Muya’s lecture was the importance of listening to other leading lights in the industry. As a CEO, I am constantly seeking out opportunities to learn from others and to gain new perspectives on business and leadership. Mr. Muya’s advice reinforced the importance of being open to learning from others and seeking out mentorship and guidance from those who have achieved success in the field.

Indeed, it’s always a pleasure to learn from other leading lights in the industry and to also share my own experiences with them.”

by Tum David

Women and girls have been advised not to be deterred from using technology to advance gender quality and instead must work together to create safe and inclusive digital spaces that empower them to fully participate in all aspects of society.

Speaking during the Echo Network Africa (ENA) meeting convened at a pre- Internationak Women’s Day event to discuss the theme :
“DigitALL” and the launch of the ” STOPCberbullyingNow” campaign, Kirinyaga governor Ann Mumbi Waiguru congratulated Echo Network Africa and specifically Dr Jennifa Riria, for the tireless efforts in finding solutions to the issues that impact on women and girls providing them with sustainable solutions such as improved access to education, eradication of negative socio-cultural norms, opportunities for women leadership and financing.

However, as this is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission of the status of women (CSW-67) which is, ” Innovation and Technology change and education in the digital age for achieving gender, quality and empowerment for all women and girls”, Waiguru said women come together in the International Woman’s Day to celebrate achievements of women across the world and to acknowledge the challenges that women still face.

She urged women to speak with one voice and be steadfast to call out cyberbullying as a crime which all women should play a role in eliminating it.

A study commissioned by the African Development Bank suggeststhat upto 70% of women have endured cyber violence and that women are 27 times more likely than men to be harassed online. More than one in every five women in Kenya have experienced cyber bullying and it’s in public domain that cyberbullying will hinder how women participate in public discourse and processes as many women will cower, will self -sensor, and on some instances, will totally withdraw from public, civic and social media spaces.

Technology facilitated violence, it’s observed, comprises a spectrum of behaviours that included stalling, bullying, sexual harassment, defamation, hate speech and exploitation (against women).
Waiguru also decried the few interventions that are there in place specifically to address techology facilitated GBV, noting that while there are promising interventions out there, they are mostly small and untested.

In her speech she read as the Chief Guest during the launch at a Nairobi hotel, the CoG chair said the speed at which access to technology is rapidly spreading faster, and the policy efforts of government and other stakeholders to monitor or control the harmful usage of these gadgets, especially in developing countries like Kenya where dealing with cyberbullying is not among the top priorities, even though it’s recognized as a problem.

Photo taken on April 1, 2022 shows the shelf of a supermarket in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

PARIS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — One year into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, France and the rest of Europe are finding themselves in a delicate position, teetering under the impact of inflation, an energy crisis, and slowing economic growth.

INFLATION, ENERGY CRISIS

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has pushed up inflation in France. Price hikes have reached record level in the country since February last year.

Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) show that France’s annual inflation rate stood at 5.2 percent for 2022, after 1.6 percent in 2021 and 0.5 percent in 2020.

Energy prices alone have increased by 23.1 percent yearly, followed by 6.8 percent for food and 3 percent for manufactured goods and services.

Energy prices in the country reached record high in 2022, with natural gas traded at 340 euros (364 U.S. dollars) per megawatt-hour (MWh) on Aug. 26 last year, against under 30 euros (32 dollars) per MWh at the same time in 2021.

Faced with soaring energy prices, the tariff shield introduced in 2021 by the French government has been extended, particularly for small businesses. An Energy Sobriety Plan was officially unveiled on Oct. 6, 2022, aiming to reduce the country’s overall energy consumption by 10 percent within the next two years and by 40 percent by 2050.

Diesel and gasoline prices are seen on a board at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

France’s energy sobriety plan will cost 800 million euros (785 million dollars) to the country, Minister for Energy Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher said.

Public lighting in the streets are on for less time and less intensively, companies must commit to switching off the lights in unoccupied buildings, and working from home is encouraged in public administrations.

The plan also requires that heating should be lowered in offices, swimming pools and gyms, and the use of hot water must be reduced in offices.

IMPACT ON LIVING

Baguette, essential for the French, is an indicator of the cost of living in France. In 2022, its price surged several times, passing the threshold of 1 euro (1.07 dollars) per baguette in many bakeries.

At the same time, the price of wheat fluctuated from 180 euros (193 dollars) to 460 euros (492 dollars) per tonne at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, to stabilize at around 360 euros (385 dollars) per tonne. This surge in prices has directly affected consumers’ wallets.

“Before, I didn’t pay much attention to the prices when I was shopping, but with inflation, I watch more carefully,” a woman named Helene told Xinhua.

Customers shop at a supermarket in Frankfurt, Germany, April 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Lu Yang)

Many French people have chosen to lower the temperature of their houses to reduce expenditure. Daphnee, who lives in an old house covering an area of 130 square meters, has drastically lowered the temperature at her house in fear of a high energy bill.

“I feel cold, so it was a sacrifice, but in the end, I realized that we were fine at home with 18 degrees Celsius, all you need is a hot water bottle for the night,” she said.

French companies are also hit hard by the soaring energy prices.

Last October, over 300 companies alerted the French government to the negative effect of the surging energy prices.

More than one out of two French industrial companies said they had suffered consequences from the energy crisis and their production bottlenecks had affected business profitability.

A survey conducted in October last year showed that 80 percent of the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises worry about their survival.

And the trend continues. According to a study on corporate insolvencies, the rebound in bankruptcies that began in 2022 is not over and companies face a triple threat of weaker growth, reduced margins and deteriorating financing conditions in 2023.

SPILLOVER EFFECT

The European Commission forecasted that the French economy would grow by 0.6 percent and 1.4 percent respectively for 2023 and 2024, and the German economy would grow even lower, by 0.2 percent and 1.3 percent respectively.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, six of eurozone countries showed negative economic growth, including Germany and Italy, whose growth declined by 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent respectively.

The two countries were hardest hit by the Ukraine crisis, as both have export-driven economies and depend heavily on natural gas from Russia, which has been disrupted following sanctions against Russia.

With access to Russian gas becoming increasingly difficult as a result of the crisis, European countries had to switch to much expensive American liquefied natural gas (LNG).

People are seen outside the building of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 18, 2022.(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

However, the United States sells its LNG to Europe at “four times” the price at which it sells to American suppliers, said French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire last year, who feared that the United States could benefit from the situation to the detriment of European interests.

He insisted on the need to build “economic relations that are more balanced on the energy issue between our American allies and the European continent.”

Le Maire’s remarks came just days after French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his dissatisfaction over LNG imported from the United States and Norway.

“We are going to say with great friendship towards our American friends, our Norwegian friends, that ‘you are great, you provide us with gas.’ But there is one thing that can’t work for a very long time, that is we can’t pay for gas that is four times more expensive,” he said.

According to data and analytics firm Kpler, the EU imported a total of 94.73 million tonnes of LNG in 2022, and the United States accounts for roughly 41 percent of the imports, becoming the EU’s top LNG supplier.

Besides, the consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act, a massive U.S. plan of 369 billion dollars of industrial subsidies announced in the summer of 2022, poses a new trade threat for Europe.  ■

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — China on Wednesday urged NATO to quit groundless speculation and smears against it on the Ukraine issue, grow out of the Cold War mentality of zero-sum game and bloc confrontation, and actually do something conducive to European and global peace and stability.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the comment in response to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s recent remarks that NATO members “are also increasingly concerned that China may be planning to provide lethal support for Russia’s war.”

Wang said on the Ukraine issue, China always stands on the side of peace. China has taken an objective and just position, and worked actively to promote peace talks.

It is a known fact that NATO countries including the United States are the biggest source of weaponry for the battlefield in Ukraine, yet they keep claiming that China may be supplying weapons to Russia. This is a familiar trick used and exposed soon after the Ukraine crisis broke out, Wang noted.

Wang said while claiming itself to be a regional defensive alliance, NATO has ignored others’ security concerns, and constantly sought to reach beyond its traditional defense zone and scope, and stoke division and tension. “What role has NATO played in the Ukraine crisis? The rest of the world surely has its answer.”

“We urge NATO to quit groundless speculation and smears against China on the Ukraine issue, grow out of the Cold War mentality of zero-sum game and bloc confrontation, stop instigating antagonism and fanning the flames, and actually do something conducive to European and global peace and stability,” he said.  ■

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 14, 2023.  (Xinhua/Xie E)

“Meanwhile, we have heard implicit threats to use nuclear weapons. The so-called tactical use of nuclear weapons is utterly unacceptable. It is high time to step back from the brink,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary-General warned Wednesday that an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine is “a clear and present danger.”

“Over the past year, not only have we seen suffering and devastation grow, it is also becoming more evident just how much worse it could all still become. The possible consequences of a spiraling conflict are a clear and present danger,” he told a resumed emergency special session of the UN General Assembly.

The conflict in Ukraine is also fanning regional instability and fueling global tensions and divisions, while diverting attention and resources from other crises and pressing global issues, he said.

“Meanwhile, we have heard implicit threats to use nuclear weapons. The so-called tactical use of nuclear weapons is utterly unacceptable. It is high time to step back from the brink,” he said.

Guterres called for peace.

People in Ukraine are suffering enormously. Ukrainians, Russians and people far beyond need peace, he said. “While prospects may look bleak today, we must all work, knowing that genuine, lasting peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law.”

A damaged building is in demolition process in Mariupol, Aug. 23, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

The longer the fighting continues, the more difficult this work will be, he warned. “We don’t have a moment to lose.”

The 11th emergency special session of the General Assembly resumed on Wednesday as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is approaching its first anniversary.  ■

accentuates calls for peace

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-02-24 00:18:37

   

0:00

/9:41

* While Russia and Ukraine appear to have reached a deadlock on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, the United States continues to agitate the conflict and profit from it.

* Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia in hopes of choking its energy export channels and destroying its economy. However, those sanctions have backfired, hurt U.S. allies and triggered a worldwide energy crisis.

* Official data showed that Russia’s GDP declined by 2.1 percent in 2022, and the Ukrainian economy nosedived by 30.4 percent. The World Bank estimated last year that the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is at least 349 billion dollars.

by Xinhua writers Shi Hao, Li Dongxu

MOSCOW/KIEV, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — Russia and Ukraine traded a fresh round of strikes as the world is set to mark the first anniversary of the armed conflict on Friday.

The crisis has caused many casualties, displaced numerous people, aggravated geopolitical confrontation in Europe, intensified global energy and food shortages, and undermined regional and international security.

While Russia and Ukraine appear to have reached a deadlock on the battlefield and at the negotiating table, the United States continues to agitate the conflict and profit from it.

People inspect the aftermath of shelling of the city market in Donetsk, Dec. 12, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

GLOBAL IMPACT

“Over the past year, from work to my personal life, from my well-being to what I do every day, everything has completely changed,” said a volunteer worker at a children’s hospital in Kiev, who gave her name as Olha.

“I lost my job … I have outstanding loans … My friends have died,” the 34-year-old told Xinhua.

Since the conflict flared up on Feb. 24 last year, tens of thousands of troops on both sides have been killed, and millions of others were forced to flee their homes.

The echoes of the conflict are heard far beyond Ukraine’s borders. Its heavy toll on the world has manifested through food supply chain disruptions, skyrocketing energy prices and soaring inflation.

Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia in hopes of choking its energy export channels and destroying its economy. However, those sanctions have backfired, hurt U.S. allies and triggered a worldwide energy crisis.

Furthermore, Ukraine and Russia jointly produce around 30 percent of the world’s wheat exports. Russia is also one of the world’s biggest exporters of fertilizers. The impact of the conflict on food supply chains has contributed to rising food prices, making it harder for people in lower and middle-income economies to feed their families.

As the conflict disrupts trade and aggravates inflation for essential goods, several economies teeter on the brink of recession.

People bid goodbye to each other with a hug in Irpin, Ukraine, March 8, 2022. (Photo by Diego Herrera/Xinhua)

In a blog released in late January, IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas reckoned the global economy is poised to slow this year, while growth will remain weak by historical standards as the fight against inflation and the Ukraine crisis weigh on activity.

The economic pain has been quite intense for emerging economies. The UN warned on Jan. 1 that the Russia-Ukraine conflict unleashed a new crisis, disrupting food and energy markets and exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition in many developing countries.

People walk past a screen of a currency exchange office displaying the exchange rates of U.S. Dollar and Euro to Russian Rubles in Moscow, Russia, March 1, 2022. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

During the Munich Security Conference concluded on Sunday, there was “palpable frustration among some leaders from African and South American nations” over the protracted conflict, which “was consuming the time, money and attention of the West at the expense of other pressing problems,” the Financial Times observed.

“We don’t want to go on discussing who will be the winner or the loser of a war,” said Colombia’s Vice President Francia Marquez. “We are all losers and, in the end, it is humankind that loses everything.”

BACKSTAGE MANIPULATOR

The deep cause of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is the expansion of NATO, and “the Russians are reacting to the West’s attempt to make Ukraine a western bulwark on Russia’s border,” John Mearsheimer, political science professor at the University of Chicago, told Xinhua.

Breaking a promise made at the end of the Cold War that NATO would not expand to the east, the U.S.-led bloc has expanded eastward five times since 1999, advancing more than 1,000 km to the Russian border. Its membership has increased from 16 to 30 countries.

Since the flare-up, the United States and its allies have sent more weapons to Ukraine, worsening the situation.

The United States has promised nearly 30 billion U.S. dollars in military assistance to Ukraine. After the United States and Germany pledged tanks to Ukraine in late January, the Pentagon announced a new tranche of military aid for Ukraine days later, including long-range precision rockets for the first time.

People walk past a damaged building in Mariupol, Feb. 18, 2023. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

During his surprise trip to Kiev on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden announced hundreds of millions of dollars in additional military aid for Ukraine, a move widely expected to escalate the crisis further.

Washington’s latest move bears out what former U.S. senator Richard Black said last year — “We don’t care how many Ukrainians die. How many women, children, civilians, military will die. We do not care. It’s like a great football game, and we want to win.”

In his address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West sparked a war in Europe to “eliminate competitors by using a proxy force,” and the responsibility for inciting and escalating the Ukraine crisis lies entirely with the Western elites.

“They plan to grow a local conflict into a global confrontation … But it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield,” he said.

Simultaneously, Washington’s “football game” on the bloody battlefield in Ukraine brings fortunes to U.S. war and energy businesses.

Replacing the military equipment transferred to Ukraine by Washington’s NATO allies could lead to roughly 21.7 billion dollars in foreign military sales or direct commercial sales for American industry, the U.S. Foundation for Defense of Democracies said in a report last month.

As for the energy industry, “Big Oil just reported its profits. Record profits. Last year, they made 200 billion dollars in the midst of a global energy crisis,” Biden admitted in his State of the Union Address on Feb. 7.

POLITICAL SETTLEMENT

The prolonged crisis has created economic and social woes in both countries and significantly retarded the world’s post-pandemic recovery.

Official data showed that Russia’s GDP declined by 2.1 percent in 2022, and the Ukrainian economy nosedived by 30.4 percent. The World Bank estimated last year that the cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is at least 349 billion dollars.

However, the vast difference in positions between Russia and Ukraine seems unbridgeable for the time being, making possible dialogue difficult.

When meeting senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in Munich on Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said no other countries want to realize peace more than Ukraine.

For the sake of peace, Gulru Gezer, a foreign policy analyst and former diplomat for Türkiye, believes all responsible countries that do not want to prolong the crisis should help keep the channels of dialogue open rather than exacerbate tensions.

This photo taken on Feb. 24, 2022 shows the street view of Kiev, capital of Ukraine.  (Xinhua/Li Dongxu)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the one-year mark is a “grim milestone” with an impact far beyond Ukraine. “While prospects may look bleak today, we know that genuine, lasting peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law,” he said.

Among the countries standing on the side of peace and dialogue is China, which plans to publish a document on finding a political settlement to the crisis.

In The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper released on Tuesday, China pledges to promote a political settlement to international and regional hotspot issues, including in Ukraine.

Leaders of some countries have made clear their neutrality on the issue, criticizing the West for leveraging the Ukraine issue as “a loyalty test” and calling for a political settlement.

In Munich, when asked why Namibia abstained from a UN resolution on the Ukraine situation in October, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said her country focused on “resolving the problem, not on shifting blame.”

“The bottom line is that money used to buy weapons would be better used to promote development in Ukraine, in Africa, in Asia, in the EU itself, where many people are facing hardships,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.

(Video reporters: Meng Jing, Li Dongxu, Kang Wenjun, Zhu Wanjun, Jiang Chao, Wang Huan, Ali Jaswal, Tariq Hameed, Sun Xinjing, Liu Chang, James Asande, Duncan, Yu Fuqing, Yang Yiran, Yao Bing, Msrwa, Huang Yan, Shi Zhongyu, Nemanja Cabric, Chen Hao, Geza Molnar, Attila Volgyi, Hu Yousong, Sun Ding, Yu Shuaishuai; video editors: Ma Ruxuan, Zhang Yuhong, Zhang Zhihuan)■