Ng’arua Maarifa proving vital to students reviewing courses

By Moses Ndung’u

The 2014 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates started an online course revision of degree and diploma programmes for the 2015/2016 placement on April 20, 2015 in an exercise that will end on May 4, 2015.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) has it that all applicants will have to submit their applications online. This is in the digitization trend undertaken by the government that is set and armed to steer the country towards a fully digitized patch of the globe.

Now, for those aspiring to join the institution of higher learning, either on a regular-government sponsorship- or on a parallel basis, the work load towards achieving their dreams has been brought at a de-marginalizing distance, no intimidation no fear of the large bureaucratic arm, only the student and the KUCCPS body.

Thought this is a good turn of events, most students who qualify will have to delve deep into their pockets to try to make out the money required for the application fee and also online fee paid at cyber café.

“Though KUCCPS are charging ksh 1500 the cyber people have found a gold mine by charging us a shilling per minute to access internet. This is difficult for some of us who have to spend as much as three days for a comprehensive revision,” said Nderitu Mwangi, a successful student aspiring to join the campus.

Fortunately, the presence of Ng’arua Maarifa Center in Sipili has helped many students to access online services at no cost at all.

“I have been at the Maarifa Centre almost the whole week. I am glad that it has been possible to access internet free of charge at the Maarifa. Ng’arua Maarifa Center is a blessing to us and words can’t say how much we appreciate,” said Mwangi.

According to Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, 61,000 candidates will have the coveted opportunity of pursuing their higher education through the government sponsored regular programs. The cut-off for male students was fixed at a grade B of 60 points and a B- of 58 points for female students.

In addition all KCSE candidates with a minimum overall grade of C- (Minus) and above and who have not benefited from government sponsorship in the past will be eligible to apply for Diploma courses.

Sipili farmers now able to access subsidized fertilizer through cooperative

By Moses Ndung’u

Access to subsidized government fertilizer has always been a challenge to smallholder farmers. Most farmers are usually forced to travel long distances to look for subsidized fertilizer at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). In most cases they are forced to wait for long duration before receiving fertilizer.

Farmers who are lucky to get the subsidized government also have to contend with high transport costs. These has always demoralized most farmers who end up growing impatient and thus decide to buy fertilizer from other businessmen who sell to them at exorbitant prices.

Subsidized government fertilizer being offloaded from a trailer

The problems experienced by smallholder farmers in accessing the subsidized fertilizer in Sipili area of Ol-Moran Ward, Laikipia West Sub County has partly been addressed by Sipili Cereal Bank and Laikipia Produce and Marketing Co-operative Society.

Laikipia Produce and Marketing Cooperative Society has so far disbursed 750 bags of subsidized government fertilizer worth Ksh 1,350,000.  Most farmers have been spending as much as Ksh 3,200 to buy fertilizer from traders but now they are able to get the subsidized fertilizer.

Most farmers who had gone through the painful ordeal of haggling with the middlemen are usually spotted leaving the cooperative store, a sign of relief clearly showing on their faces as they tuck their fertilizer onto motorbikes and vehicles.

 “I went to Nyahururu to get my fertilizer but got none, for three days I travelled back and forth to no avail. I have now managed to get the fertilizer through the cooperative,” said Mr. Mbogo, a member of Laikipia Produce and Marketing Cooperative Society.

It is now evident that the cooperative is a blessing to both the cooperative members and non-members, this was poked into the bigger picture when the non-members received the fertilizers and other inputs at the society with zero hindrance. For Sipili and the huge Ng’arua extension, the cooperative is a blessing to the society and a new power for the community.

Subsidized government fertilizer being offloaded

As the rains fall and the environment is green again, the farmers have now a reason to smile and be grateful in reminiscence of last year’s crippling drought that almost derailed farmers’ hopes.

“This year I managed to buy the subsidized government fertilizer through the cooperative. I managed to save a lot of money and time going to Nyahururu to look for the subsidized fertilizer but thanks to the cooperative I was able to avoid the extra cost,” said Naomi Ngonyo, member of Laikipia Produce and Marketing Cooperative Society.

The government has reduced prices of subsidized fertilizer to spur productivity and close the cycle of food shortages. The Laikipia County government provided transport to Laikipia Produce and Marketing Co-operative Society from Nanyuki to Sipili town.

The Laikipia Produce and Marketing cooperative society emerged from the work undertaken by Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) through Ng’arua Maarifa Centre with the support of the Ford Foundation’s Expanding Livelihoods for Poor Households Initiative (ELOPHI).

Scaling up best practices during CBA9

By Milcah Rajula and Bob Aston
As the final day of the 9th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA9) is happening at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, many participants’ core business and sessions of the day is focusing on measuring effectiveness of CBA.

Mr. Adrian Fitzgerald, Irish Aid and Atiq Rahman, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) will argue their case on why we need to measure effectiveness and who monitoring and evaluation activities should ultimately serve.

CBA9 participants at the IIED exhibition stand

The more than 400 participants from 90 countries will then discuss emerging issues during CBA9 and plans for CBA10 in 2016. The results of the ‘pervasive’ game played throughout CBA9, addressing drinking water for communities and demonstrating self-organized Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) will then be explained.

The Government of Kenya is collaborating with International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED), Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) to ensure that this conference attains maximum and measurable solutions. This is in retrospect to policy makers demonstrating the effectiveness of EBA in improving the capacity of communities to adapt to the impact of climate change.

Some of today’s key note speakers include: William Samoei arap Ruto, Deputy President of KenyaProf. Judy Wakhungu, Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Pa Ousman Jarju, Environment Minister and Climate Envoy of the Gambia,Fatuma Mohamed Hussein, National Climate Change Secretariat, Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Kenya, Youssef Nassef, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Adaptation Programme Coordinator among others.

Participants are reporting on the latest research and their project work from across different sectors and countries, highlighting the fact that there are different ways of measuring the success of community-based adaptation.

Consequently, they are able to choose from two sessions which include: debate and next steps; conference closing.

Participants will later on in the afternoon be hosted by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) at the UN complex in Gigiri. The visit will include a tour of the complex and an opportunity to learn more about UNEP projects.

IIED and partners: BCAS, created the CBA conferences to highlight that effective adaptation to climate change takes place at community level. Past CBA conferences have focused on scaling up best practices, ensuring a scientific basis to action, communicating and mainstreaming CBA and ensuring adaptation funding reaches community level.

Visit International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

Ecosystems and communities existence is symbiotic to CBA9

By Milcah Rajula and Bob Aston

As the third day of the 9th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA9) is happening at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, many participants’ core business and sessions of the day is focusing on “Evaluating Ecosystem- based adaptation Effectiveness”.

The sessions are each focusing on how ecosystems provide communities with a wide range of goods: water supply, food, timber, flood regulation, waste treatment amongst others. However, this is going to be short lived as the climatic invariability is eroding livelihoods despite the numerous efforts countries are making to adapt to the impacts of climatic change.

Case in point is that most adaptation efforts have focused on large infrastructure: large dams and sea walls, with little consideration of the role of ecosystems. Additionally, policies enacted at the national and local level lags behind as it mostly attributions to awareness of Ecosystem- based Adaptation (EBA) contributions to livelihoods is limited.

The Government of Kenya is collaborating with International Institute of Environment and Development (IIED) and African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) to ensure that this conference attains maximum and measurable solutions. This is in retrospect to policy makers demonstrating the effectiveness of EBA in improving the capacity of communities to adapt to the impact of climate change.

In addition, the contribution to sustaining and improving livelihoods and maintaining and protecting ecosystems. Compared to other adaption approaches, EBA’s costs and benefits while applying its approaches needs understanding. One thing to look out for as a constraint is the lack of access to its evaluation tools, adequate data and agreed baselines and indicators and recommended approaches to up- scaling.

CBA9 participants in participatory exercises #EBA

Some of today’s key note speakers include: Keith Alverson, UNEP; Lili Ilieva, Practical Action; Paul Nteza, UNDP Uganda, Rosemary Mukasa, United Nations Environmental Assembly, Alejandro Argumedo, Asociacion ANDRES among others.

Participants are reporting on the latest research and their project work from across different sectors and countries, highlighting the fact that there are different ways of measuring the success of community-based adaptation.

Consequently, they are able to choose from eight sessions which include: evaluating ecosystem-based adaptation effectiveness; estimating loss and damage; tools and techniques for measuring effective adaptation and resilience; climate information services for effective CBA; indigenous knowledge, culture and adaptation; do you have the innovative CBA M&E ‘wow factor’; exploring ecosystem-based adaptation with participatory exercises; poster market place.

Recommendation is that developing countries must adapt to a changing climate and the extreme weather conditions to which they are and will be experiencing. Deliberations on whether to determine accurate loss and damage estimation in regards climate change adaptation is the main focus for EBA strategies to effectively be put in place.

IIED and partners: BCAS, created the CBA conferences to highlight that effective adaptation to climate change takes place at community level. Past CBA conferences have focused on scaling up best practices, ensuring a scientific basis to action, communicating and mainstreaming CBA and ensuring adaptation funding reaches community level.

Visit International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

Finance funding a major component for effective CBA9 sustainability

By Milcah Rajula and Bob Aston

On the second day of the 9th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA9): Measuring and enhancing effective adaptation taking place at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, the more than 400 participants from 90 countries were spoilt for choice. During the course of the day participants had a choice of attending 7 sessions, each lasting one and a half hours or more.

CBA9 participants viewing exhibition stands

Parallel sessions during the day meant that participants could attend as much as four (4) sessions, but that was enough for them to discuss and share best practice on how to measure and enhance effective adaptation to climate change.

The Government of Kenya is hosting the conference which has been organized by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS).

Some of the key note speakers during the day included; Stephen King’uyu, Climate Change Secretariat, Ministry of Environment, Kenya; Saverio Krnatli, IIED;  Thomas Loster, Munich Re Foundation; Suresh Patel, Kenya Private Sector Alliance; Charles Nyandiga, UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme;

Participants are reporting on the latest research and their project work from across different sectors and countries, enhancing CBA through future agreements through the Kenyan perspective and exploring different ways of measuring the success of CBA.

Participants were able to choose from seven different sessions which included: Enhancing CBA through future agreements-the Kenyan perspective; harnessing climatic variability to enhance adaptation in the drylands; government monitoring and evaluation of CBA; principles and radical options for adaptation-issues for assessing effectiveness; monitoring and scaling up climate-smart agriculture practices for enhanced food security and CBA; role of the private sector in enhancing CBA; learning through game playing; poster market place.

Participants with posters persuading conference participants to visit their posters

A session on the poster market place was initiated as participants with posters had two minutes to try and persuade conference participants to visit their poster and inquire more on organization’s individual projects.

The learning through game playing session provided participants with an opportunity to play ‘Roses and Thorns’; a game about managing, monitoring and evaluating investment decisions in a changing environment.

Developed for the World Bank’s review of Self-Evaluation systems (ROSES) initiative, the game triggers a lively, candid conversation to help understand and address issues in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and learning systems to support adaptation and development.

In the evening participants were able to engage in participatory analysis of films which included: Guardians of diversity; adaptation fund direct access-by Adaptation Fund Secretariat; Kenya’s Mau Forest-More than trees; Turning Slaughterhouse waste into biogas-Keekonyoike slaughterhouse.

When the day folded, a fun adaptation finance night transpired with quiz questions, sharing of experience and discussions; all about adaptation finance. Participants were able to learn about tracking adaptation finance tracking to advocate for more and better funding, to hear from different organizations how they are tracking adaptation finance and how one can get involved.

IIED and partners: BCAS, created the CBA conferences to highlight that effective adaptation to climate change takes place at community level. Past CBA conferences have focused on scaling up best practices, ensuring a scientific basis to action, communicating and mainstreaming CBA and ensuring adaptation funding reaches community level.

Visit International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)