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Kelvin Kinyua receives a certificate from the spouse of the Deputy President Pastor Dorcas Rigathi at the official residence of the Deputy President in Karen, Nairobi County where a special graduation for the first cohort of 83 rehabilitated men who were addicted to alcohol, drug and substances under the boy child program in her office were celebrated on Friday 8th September 2023. Photo/OSDP

By OSDP

8^th September 2023

83 men addicted to alcohol, drugs and other substances graduated during a special ceremony to mark their rehabilitation success at the official residence of the Deputy President in Karen, Nairobi on Friday.

This event marked the culmination of three-months of inpatient rehabilitation at a rehabilitation and recovery centre in Meru and the outpatient community-based rehabilitation program in Donholm, Nairobi.

The spouse of the Deputy President Pastor Dorcas Rigathi flagged off the Mathira group on June 8, 2023 for rehabilitation at a church in Mathira Constituency.

“I recall the day I flagged off this first cohort for rehabilitation back in March this year. You bore no resemblance to the individuals I see before me today. Your transformation is nothing short of miraculous,” said Pastor Dorcas during the graduation ceremony.

She acknowledged the bravery of the men in fighting off the withdrawal symptoms and reconditioning their bodies to daily life routines, including learning new skills like beadwork, hair dressing and farming while at the rehabilitation centre.

Pastor Dorcas called on the private sector to join in the fight for the boy child, saying that public funds were not enough in dealing with the drug menace that has affected the nation for decades.

“Since the inception of the Boy Child Program, we have held medical camps and feeding programs to reach out to our boys and men across board. Many have expressed a strong desire to be free from the shackles of addiction. My office has a record of thousands on the waiting list who wish to undergo rehabilitation,” said Pastor Dorcas.

Parents, guardians, the house of clergy, psychologists and psychiatrists attended the graduation.

Gatanga MP Edward Muriu said the graduation ceremony was extremely emotional (since he saw many in the audience shed tears after watching the videos of the beneficiaries).

“I did not know the magnitude of this day, and the graduation. When I saw the video of these young men when they were going for rehab, and whom they have become today, dressed in suits; this is indeed transformative,” said MP Muriu.

Deputy Governor-Nyeri David Warui appreciated the boy child program for redirecting the lives of men whose lives had digressed.

“I attended the graduation today, not knowing that I would find one of my grandson’s and another, a friend as some of the beneficiaries. Thank you for bringing back to these men from where they had digressed,” said DG Warui.

Bishop Samuel Munai encouraged the beneficiaries of the program telling them that though they were rejected by society, the same people would start looking for them post-rehabilitation.

“Rejection is sometimes an opportunity for redirection,” said Bishop Munai.

Sister Veronicah N’torukunga who was with the beneficiaries throughout the three-month rehabilitation at their facility commended them for being strong despite the withdrawal symptoms they faced.

The OSDP is working on an end-to-end solution in the rehabilitation of men in the country that includes skilling, reskilling, and entrepreneurship and job placements.

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has announced a partnership with Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform to identify, fast-track and scale clean energy projects across the continent. The UAE’s clean energy champion has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Africa50 which will work to bridge the infrastructure funding gap and mobilize public and private finance.

Masdar brings its technical expertise and extensive experience in emerging markets, while Africa50 brings its experience developing projects in Africa, which combined can help unlock Africa’s tremendous clean energy potential. 

Signed by Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar and Alain Ebobissé, Chief Executive Officer of Africa50 on the sidelines of Africa Climate Summit, the first of four global climate summits ahead of COP28, the agreement will see both parties work collaboratively to catalyze sustainable development of the clean energy sector in Africa.

Masdar, one of the world’s largest clean energy companies and the largest in Africa, committed US$2 billion of equity as part of the UAE finance initiative, which was announced during Africa Climate Summit by HE Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President-Designate. The initiative brings together public, private, and development capital from UAE institutions, notably from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), Masdar, and AMEA Power. Africa50 is expected to also join this initiative as a strategic partner.

HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry & Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President-Designate, said: “We welcome this important partnership with Africa50 which brings a key stakeholder to the table for an inclusive, equitable and just energy transition. We look forward to working with Africa for Africa. The world must continue to close the gap on climate finance for clean energy investment in the global south which is disproportionately affected by climate change. We need the public and private sectors to work together to deliver clean energy access across Africa – a key mission and objective of Africa50. This can be accelerated in countries with robust regulatory frameworks, clear transition strategies and a real commitment to developing grid structure.”

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar said: “As the largest renewable energy company in Africa, through our joint venture with Infinity Power, it is fitting that Masdar, with Africa50, should take this bold step forward which will unlock much needed climate finance for the energy transition. It is a key strategic market for Masdar and we are proud of our long-term partnerships and projects in Africa. Our portfolio today includes Senegal’s first utility-scale wind farm, under Masdar’s Infinity Power Holding platform (IPH), Mauritania’s first and largest solar photovoltaic project, and the development of Africa’s largest wind farm in Egypt with IPH and other partners. With Africa50, Masdar looks forward to unlocking the enormous clean energy potential across the continent,”

Masdar has committed a total of US$10 billion in clean energy finance, of which US$2 billion will be generated from equity, with an additional US$8 billion mobilized from project finance. This landmark investment will target the delivery of 10GW of clean energy capacity in Africa by 2030.

Alain Ebobissé, Chief Executive Officer of Africa50, commented: “Partnerships are key to our goal of scaling up and accelerating the delivery of bankable and sustainable infrastructure across Africa. We are pleased to join forces with Masdar through this signing. We believe that this step will become one of many, on a journey to drive transformative projects that support Africa’s path to net-zero and help builder cleaner economies for future generations.” Africa50 and Masdar will also explore opportunities to collaborate on the implementation of the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA) which was launched at COP27 by the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and Africa50.

The UAE investment initiative sits under the umbrella of Etihad 7, a development platform launched by the UAE at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in 2022 and spear-headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Announced in 2022, Etihad 7 aims to provide 100 million people across the African continent with clean electricity by 2035.

Established in 2006, Masdar is the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse. It is active in over 40 countries and has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of around 20 gigawatts (GW). Masdar aims to grow this to at least 100 GW by 2030. The company is also targeting green hydrogen production of 1 million tonnes per annum by the same year.

by Edna Okoth

Masdar the UAE’s, flagship renewable energy company, hosted a media rountable that focused on accelerating clean energy transitions, specifically in Africa.

Speaking during the event, Masdar Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Al Ramahi
noted that they have already deployed two billion dollars and committed it to invest in Africa.

“We are doubling down on that commitment with two billion dollars of investment to go down to renewable energy accross Africa and ,overally, this means that Masdar will lobby mobilising ten billions dollars of investment to accellerate a strong capacity of ten thousand Megawatts of clear energy projects and as I mentioned, Africa is a key strategic market for Masdar and we are proud of our partnership and project which we have with Africa platforms,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi.

He added that some examples of their ongoing portfolio that is operational ,which is very important, is 1.3 Gigawatts of renewable energy that is operational accross Africa today comes from Masdar and its companies; such a Senegal’s first utility scale wind firm and across Africa 650 Megawatts in South Africa operational today and the total pipeline they have currently that produces not less than ten thousand of Gigawats of renewable energy across different countries in Africa.

“Looking to our future, I’d ike to highlight that our target remains one hundred gigawats by 2030 and one million tones it green hydrogen by 2030 and to make a meaningful impact on the energy transmission in Africa, our country and accross the world, the public and the private sector must work together to allow climate finance and scale up developments and deployment of clean energy projects and that is why we have brought together this great alliance and we have Joined forces to help accellerate this in the horn of Africa nations, ” concluded Mohamed Al Ramahi.

In his remarks, Africa50 Chief Executive Officer, Alain Ebobisse’ stated that they are celebrating a historic partnership where the UAE and Africa are coming together to create green prosperity in Africa.

He also noted that it is not only an impactful initiative, but also the symbol of vibrant Africa that that has full potential and opportunities that are about investments.

“Finally, we believe that this initiative will be a game changer because, that will help scale up the project implementation and also speed up the implementation and we like this initiative because it will help support all the initiatives that Africe will be supporting such as the green industry in Africa,” concluded Alain Ebobisse’.

Also speaking at the event, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, H.E Mohammed Salf Al Suwaidi, said that they have been at the forefront of promoting renewable energy adaptation particularly the region where access to clean energy is very limited.

“Through the initiatives we have created opportunities in Africa and also in other continents to adapt clean sustainable energy sources and last year we signed an MOU with the African development fund with an aim to strengthen our operation on investment on stertegic sector with a primary focus of renewable energy accross all the African countries,” H.E Mohammed Salf Al Suwaidi.

He concluded that they have committed a billion dollar to the Africa green investment development and extended his gratitude for the opportunity and chance to collaborate with the light minded stakeholders so as to change and create a sustainable future Africa.

Foday Bangura (L) with Ellyanne Wanjiku (R) during a media briefing held at the Kenya School of TVET.

By Mathew Ndeti

In an unparalleled move, children and young advocates from the Global South have come together to vocalize their concerns and aspirations regarding climate change and global financial justice as they converged in Nairobi from 31st August to 2nd September 2023 for the first ever Global Child-led Climate Change Summit.

Speaking in Nairobi, Foday Bangura, National Vice President Children’s Forum in Sierra Leone called for global leaders to empower their climate voice as they seek the world’s support in empowering their advocacy.

“Allow us to highlight climate-induced child rights violations and share our solutions. Leaders should prioritize children’s health and education by boosting support for community empowerment, addressing climate change’s impact on children’s health and ensuring African girls’ education and protection from forced marriages,” he said.

He added that robust climate finance, global finance reforms, setting up an intergenerational pact for a regenerative future and equitable carbon trade and biodiverse investments in Africa were some of the key guidelines towards a greener, brighter future and sustaining a balanced climate justice.

Tree planting at the Kenya School of TVET

Speaking on the same, Ellyanne Wanjiku, the Africa’s Youngest Climate Finance and Biodiversity Champion urged African leaders to be imperative as they consult people, especially children on environmental decisions as the future’s custodians.

“Inclusive environmental decision-making, financial accountability and equity, environmental education and digital empowerment and green energy advocacy and investments in rural Africa are great milestones in champion green energy and sustainable climate change.

The children in their declaration which was included in Africa Climate Summit Declaration added that “We stand at crossroads of life or death, and the choices we make today will shape the world that the generations after we inherit. Let us choose the path of justice, equality, and
sustainability,” the declaration read, capturing the essence of the summit’s core message and the urgency of their call to action.

The summit saw Africa secure $23 billion in financial commitments as well as the call for the global community to act to reduce carbon emissions, ahead of COP 28 to be held in Dubai later this year.

By Ronald Njoroge

The State of the climate in Africa 2022 was launched during Africa Climate Summit that took place at the in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi during the Africa climate summit.

NGALLE BIBEHE Jean Ernest Masséna, Cameroon, Minister of Transport and Chairman of African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) said that the current State of Africa’s Climate report, the fourth in the series, provides scientific information on climate trends in Africa, observed extreme weather and climate events and their associated impacts on key and sensitive development sectors.

“It also highlights information on climate policies, mitigation and adaptation strategies implemented in Africa to address climate-related impacts,” Massena said.

He observed that the report provides the scientific evidence needed to make the right decisions and is a valuable guide for decision makers, development partners and all stakeholders in climate negotiations.

The minister added that the  report on the state of climate in Africa is part of the implementation of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology, the reviewed version of which was adopted by Heads of State of the African Union.

“On the continent, it has been noted that the socio-economic benefits of weather information are barely recognized, even though early warnings help to save lives and protect investments. This is the place to make it known that by investing in Meteorological Services, we are contributing to the provision of reliable information for the protection of lives and property,” he revealed.

 AMCOMET is working to ensure that building the capacity of the Meteorological Services is a priority in national policies of each country, and that these services are in turn able to produce an annual report on the state of climate at national level.

By Bruno Aero

More than 500 African civil society organisations warn that the summit has been hijacked by Western governments, consultancies and philanthropic organisations hell-bent on pushing a pro-Western agenda and interests at the expense of Africa.

Statistic show that between 600 and 900 million people are facing systemic food and water shortages, debilitating poverty and lack of access to energy or clean energy, forcing them to flee their homes and migrate from their countries due to climate change.

“The civil society organisations have issued seven hard-hitting demands to their governments and wealthy nations, which they hope will be addressed.”, Augustine Njamnshi, Chair Political and Technical,PACJA

He said the Africa Climate present a unique opportunity for the continent to address the climate emergency and protecting the livelihood of Africa.

The summit has attracted more than 20 heads of state and 30,000 delegates from across Africa and the world.

The African People are demanding justice, decolonisation of the continent’s economic systems, and repayment of climate debt,” said the Non-State actors

“They are also demanding an end to energy capture, an immediate stop to fossil fuel projects, and a rejection of false solutions in a move that will bring the plight of over 900 million people into the global spotlight.”he added

Other demands include decolonising economics and development, repaying the climate debt and delivering the money, building global solidarity, peace and justice, no new fossil fuels, new commitments to international cooperation, and ending energy agency capture and energy system capture.

Speaking on behalf of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance Mr. Njamnshi said Africans are tired of leaders and governments paying endless lip service to the impact of climate change on Africa’s people.

“We are calling for the decolonisation of Africa’s economy and development agenda, the repayment of the climate debt and the provision of much-needed funds to Africa for climate adaptation and loss and damage, as well as real solutions to this gripping problem facing the continent,” said Mr Njamnshi.

Statistics show that Africa is trapped in a never-ending cycle of poverty, hunger, undue exposure to climate-related disasters and dwindling investment in climate change adaptation and mitigation.

“It is a serious indictment of world leaders and corporations that African people, through no fault of their own, continue to disproportionately experience the devastating effects of climate change,” said Hon. Esther Passaris, Nairobi Women Representative

In addition, climate-related disasters are both increasing the cost of borrowing and exacerbating the risk of debt crises.

Most countries have no choice but to borrow to meet the costs of recovery and reconstruction after disasters.

“The unsustainable debt levels that many countries face today also mean less fiscal space to invest in adaptation and mitigation, and to address the losses and damages already being experienced,” said Njamnshi.

He added: “By putting African people at the centre of the climate and development agenda, the PACJA believes that this is an opportunity to put people’s voices, needs, well-being and the well-being of the earth at the centre of the climate and development discourse.”

“Africa is ready to rise, but only if leaders have the courage to stop the capture of our government agencies, processes and energy systems by the fossil fuel industry and foreign interests to serve their interests and not the interests of the African people,” Njamnshi added.

NON STATE ACTORS AND PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARIAN

BY NJOKI KARANJA

As African leaders prepare to gather for the upcoming Africa Climate Summit (ACS), we, a collective of non-state actors bringing together diverse groups across sectors, express deep concern and disappointment over the preparation and agenda of the Summit. Organisational lapses, apparent civil society exclusion, and Western interest dominance are also set to mar the Summit.

The hallmark of the organisational confusion and inertia manifests in the accreditation process where exhausted delegates are tossed from the  accreditation venue to the Ministry of Environment for clearance process for what is said to be approval. Beyond the ACS, this confusion will direct impact Africa participation in another critical UNFCCC process, the Africa Climate Week as both events are under one accreditaion umbrella.

Summit organisers have deliberately failed to ensure adequate participation and consultation of non-state actors, especially those from the most vulnerable and marginalised communities, in the planning and implementation of the Summit. The African parliamentarians are more conspicuously missing in the consultation process, yet their representation, legislation and oversight role is apparent in processes such as the ACS.
We are deeply concerned that the Summit agenda remains too inclined to promote market-based solutions and Transnational Corporations’ involvement while neglecting the people’s and the planet’s needs and rights.

We believe that, though we have few hours to the kick-off of the Summit, we still think that President Ruto and the African Union have an opportunity to rethink the agenda to allow more space for dialogue and action on climate justice, adaptation, finance, loss and damage, and human rights – issues we strongly believe fundamentally crucial for Africa’s wellbeing, but which have tactfully been relegated to the periphery.
We do not wish this Summit to be a missed opportunity to address Africa’s climate crisis and amplify African people’s voices and solutions.

African citizens have waited too long to have such a gathering, and thus, once again, we urge the organisers to ensure that the Summit is genuinely inclusive, transparent and accountable.
While noting the front line role non-state actors play in climate response, we reiterate that no single stakeholder – governmental or non-governmental – can defeat the threats posed by the climate crisis. We call upon the African governments and leaders to listen to and engage with non-state actors as equal partners.

Our demands are informed by the alarming devastation of climate change on the continent and the failure of the developed countries responsible for this devastation to provide adequate support to the most vulnerable countries and communities.
They also reflect the Africa Climate Summit Non-State Actors Steering Committee’s (ACS-NSA) shared vision and emphasise the critical need to address the impact of the climate crisis on the continent and its inhabitants.
We have issued a document outlining minimum expectations from the summit. Over 2,294 groups and individuals across the continent have signed the redlines document.

Therefore, Africa Climate Summit presents a unique opportunity for the continent to raise the urgency of addressing the climate emergency and protecting the rights and livelihoods of its citizens.
Moreover, it is an opportunity to build momentum and solidarity for the African agenda at COP28 and beyond by highlighting African countries’ common interests and aspirations in achieving a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and inclusive development.ACS-NSA is a pan-African platform advocating for a pro-African agenda in all critical spaces at the summit and beyond.

The ACS-NSA has a Secretariat supported by the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and is organised into clusters that draw members from regional CSOs, Indigenous People, Faith Actors, Trade Unions, the African Private Sector, Farmer Organizations, Women and Gender Constituencies, Youth Movements Academia and Research Institutions, Foundations and Finance Institutions.
ACS-NSA has been advocating for a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future that respects the rights and dignity of all people. Despite their engagements with the Kenyan government, the African Union Commission, and the ClimDev-Africa Initiative, our concern remains that the summit may fall short of our aspirations. Therefore, ACS-NSA has formulated a set of demands or redlines that they expect African leaders to uphold and champion at the summit.

The first demand is for African leaders to acknowledge the urgent need to address the climate emergency and protect the rights and livelihoods of its citizens. The redlines document also calls for a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future that respects the rights and dignity of all people.
Ahead of the summit, the group has called on African leaders to stand by the principles of climate justice, human rights, gender equality, and intergenerational equity in all climate policies and actions.
In addition, they demand that developed countries fulfil their historical responsibility and provide adequate and predictable finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in Africa.

The group also rejects false solutions and narratives undermining African communities’ rights, interests, and sovereignty, such as carbon markets, geoengineering, nuclear energy, and shared responsibility principles. They further reject promoting carbon markets as they do not serve the climate justice agenda for Africa. The redlines also call for a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future that respects the rights and dignity of all people. The group demands that African leaders commit to a just and fair transition to renewable energy, prioritising energy access for the poor and marginalised and guaranteeing community ownership and participation.

In conclusion, the group emphasises the need for African leaders to put the African people above all personal and collective political and economic interests.
As a collective, the Africa Climate Summit Non-State Actors hopes that the African leaders will champion and uphold these demands at the upcoming Africa Climate Summit and beyond.

Reporting by JAMES MUTUA in Nairobi

The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and the African Environment Parliamentarians conducted a productive parliamentary dialogue preceding the 11th conference on climate change and development in Africa, held alongside the Africa Climate Summit.

With the theme “Implementing Pan-African Parliament’s Resolutions and Recommendations on Climate Policy and Equity in Africa,” the dialogue aimed at uniting African Parliament members from the environment committee, civil society representatives, researchers, environmental think tanks, and journalists covering environmental issues.

Coming a week before the Africa Climate Summit, the dialogue sought to rally and synchronize the endeavors of African legislatures and parliamentarians around the climate justice and equity resolutions and recommendations. These efforts are intended to exert influence on the global climate agenda, fostering a sustainable future for Africa and the world.

In his opening statement, PACJA’s Executive Director, Mr. Mithika Mwenda, highlighted the pivotal role of parliamentarians in shaping climate change policies, both regionally and internationally. Emphasizing the need for low-carbon development pathways, he stressed the importance of bolstering energy, food, water, and health security across the continent while conserving its natural resources and biodiversity.

Mwenda underscored the significance of empowering local communities, particularly women and youth, to actively participate in decision-making and the execution of climate solutions at all levels.

“We extend our appreciation to the Pan-African Parliament for its leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing climate justice and equity in Africa. Your resolutions and recommendations on critical climate-related matters such as renewable energy, climate finance, adaptation, mitigation, and human rights are commendable,” Mwenda remarked.

Meanwhile, the Vice President of the Cameroonian Senate Mr. Robert Nkili emphasized that Africa must not rely solely on developed nations to provide solutions. He called on Africa’s leaders to avoid falling into the fossil fuel trap and lead the continent towards a clean, renewable, affordable and sustainable energy future.

“We need policies that incentivise investments in the continent’s exceptionally high potential for decentralised renewable energy”, concluded Nkili.

According to the World Bank, an estimated 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa have limited to no access to electricity, and renewable energy has the potential to deliver distributed energy access to all. Instead of pushing for the continued extraction of dead-end fossil fuels, Africa can lead the world in a just transition to 100% renewable, secure and affordable energy, which empowers communities and workers. Renewable energy technology has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, becoming the cheapest form of energy, also generating a boom in employment.

AGRA, until recently known as The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa — will hold its annual Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 5-8 September. Branded as ‘the Africa Food Systems Summit’, the event brings together agribusiness leaders, experts, policymakers, and representatives from various sectors of the food industry. The forum claims to be “a unique platform for CEOs to build meaningful connections and partnerships within the food and agriculture sector.”

At a virtual press conference on 30 August, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and its collaborators, representing hundreds of small-scale food producer groups across Africa, rejected the validity of the AGRA Forum. They highlighted the silenced narratives of those at the heart of Africa’s agriculture: its farmers.

“Where are the farmers? They are clearly excluded in the coming 2023 AGRF meeting in Tanzania, a country with more than 70 per cent of its population engaged in agriculture,” said farmer leader Juma Shabani.

Gabriel Manyangadze of the multi-faith environmental network Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) expressed the faith community’s concerns: “The green revolution approach of AGRA through the Gates Foundation does not alleviate hunger and poverty in Africa. It supports the dominance of corporations over African food production and farmers.”

“We are called to be custodians for all creation,” he continued. “Yet, AGRA’s approach grows corporate profits at the expense of all living beings. The Gates Foundation must prioritise solutions like agroecology that protect biodiversity and the needs of African farmers.”

“AGRA is a total failure for many reasons,” added Mali’s Mamadou Goïta of the Institute for Research and Promotion of Alternatives in Development. “Farmer groups have never accepted these technological fixes. People have been working on their own food systems, to push back on what AGRA was planting.”

African small-scale food producers challenge AGRA’s legitimacy as an African-led organisation and its interventions in African food systems on the following grounds:

Origin and Accountability: AGRA, registered in the USA and principally funded from outside Africa, remains unaccountable to African constituencies or governments. AGRA has responded to critics with cosmetic changes, removing the words “green revolution” from its name rather than rethinking the wisdom of its failing policies.

Corporate Dominance: AGRA’s agenda of “market-led technology adoption” leans heavily towards the industrialisation of African food systems. With over $500 million in grants, AGRA incentivises the adoption of Green Revolution technologies predominantly produced by global corporations.

Unfulfilled Promises: Despite its ambitious claims, AGRA failed in its commitment to significantly increase agricultural yields, incomes, and food security for small-scale producers. Independent assessments and even a 2022 donor-commissioned evaluation demonstrate that AGRA’s initiatives led to increasing undernourishment, environmental consequences, and declining crop diversity.

Inappropriate Influence over Policy: AGRA’s direct intervention and influence over African government policies, particularly in seeds and biosafety, have tilted the scales in favour of commercial seed providers and Green Revolution technologies. This level of interference has squeezed out alternative voices and approaches like agroecology.

“A huge chunk of our hard-earned GDP in Kenya goes to subsidising synthetic fertiliser, destroying soil fertility and our environment”, said Anne Maina of Kenya’s Biodiversity and Biosafety Association (BIBA Kenya).

In response to the AGRF Summit’s message on centring women, Anne Maina said, “Women in Kenya have always cared for our food cultures and the health of communities. But AGRA’s work does not honour their role as leaders. It does not respect their agency. It puts the real power into the hands of corporations.”

AFSA asserts that investment in Africa’s agriculture must be democratic, grassroots-oriented, and led by the true stakeholders of agriculture – the farmers. Concentrated power and profit in the hands of a few corporations is not the way forward for a sustainable and inclusive African agricultural future.

From left. Mr. Fredrick Riaga, CEO, Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, Mr. Geoffrey Odundo, CEO of NSE, Dr. Grace Kamau, CEO of ICPAK, Ms Sarah Baraka representing CEO of RBA and Mr. Wyckliffe Shamiah, CEO of CMA

BY NJOKI KARANJA

The public and private sectors in the country have been urged by promoters of the Financial Reporting (FiRe) Award to embrace disclosure of non-financial information as it plays a key role in business sustainability. The disclosure of non-financial information is essential for building trust amongst the public by responding to their expectations and needs and by communicating with external stakeholders, including investors, on the need for sound decision making.

The coveted FiRe Award is organized by five promoters namely Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (PSASB), Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA). This year’s FiRe Award theme is “utilizing technology and innovation to enhance transparency of sustainability, governance and financial information.” The theme resonates with the critical role that technology plays in ensuring transparency of non-financial information disclosures, which give a wholesome view of organizational performance and its relevance in decision-making.

Speaking during the launch of the 22nd Edition of the FiRe Award, the Chairman of the FiRe Award Executive Committee, who is also the NSE CEO, Mr. Geoffrey Odundo, said that FiRe Award promotes financial reporting excellence, fosters sound corporate governance practices, and enhances corporate investment and environmental reporting in public and private sectors. The CEO of Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (PSASB), Mr. Fredrick Riaga, said that as the demand for non-financial information disclosure increases, data collection and metrics development become a challenge.

Therefore,to surmount this, public sector entities should leverage on technology to enhance transparency and sustainability in financial reporting. “Even as PSASB and the National Treasury are making final touches on modalities of transitioning the country from cash to accrual accounting, public sector entities should strike a balance in reporting financial and non-financial information,” Mr. Riaga said.

ICPAK Chief Executive Officer, CPA Dr. Grace Kamau, added that the FiRe Award has recognized and awarded the best reporting entities in East Africa. The Award aims to promote integrated reporting by enhancing accountability, transparency, and integrity in compliance with appropriate financial reporting framework and other disclosures on governance, social and environmental reporting by private, public and other entities domiciled in East Africa.”   “The disclosure of non-financial reporting will address the growing expectation from stakeholders on transparency and accountability. The changing market dynamics calls for disclosure on long term value creation and future trends.

In conclusion, the disclosure of non-financial information will restore trust in business, reinforce the stability and predictability of business performance,” RBA Chief Executive, Mr. Charles Machira observed.The CMA Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wyckliffe Shamiah, noted that ‘’the adoption of a wholistic approach to financial reporting to include disclosure of non-financial information is critical due to the growing concerns around governance practices, business sustainability and the contribution of corporate activity to climate change.”Mr. Shamiah also welcomed the publication of the final standards for Sustainability-Related Financial Information (IFRS S1) and Climate-Related (IFRS S2) Disclosures by the International Sustainability Standards Board.