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ISSUE 080, April 1-15, 2013
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
Cooperative societies benefit from coffee grants
Ken Gen sets aside money for water projects in Mbeere By KARIUKI MWANGI
By BEN OROKO Following increasing operational costs’ and inadequate capacity to handle and process coffee produce during bumper harvest, five primary producer coffee co-operative societies stand to benefit. The co-operatives from both Kisii and Nyamira counties have benefitted from the Ministry of Agriculture’s KSh3,250,000 grant as part of the efforts to reduce their operational expenses and maximise farmers’ earnings. The Chief Executive Officer of the Gusii Coffee Co-operative Union (GCFCU), Robert Mainya disclosed that the co-operative societies won the grant, following a letter from the union management to the Ministry of Co-operative Development and Marketing, requesting for funding assistance to the said co-operative institutions.
Grant
This is to enable them handle coffee that would have gone to waste due to inadequate handling and processing capacity. The letter dated November 21, 2012 read in part: “We urgently apply on behalf of coffee societies for funding to enable them handle coffee that will go to waste, if not urgently ad-
A farmer drying her coffee beans at a co-operative society in Kisii County. Picture: Ben Oroko dressed. All societies are affected because they have received so much coffee that they are unable to handle, because they have in-sufficient processing materials like Nylex, Sisal Tex and drying beds.”
Affiliation
However, Mainya disclosed that societies affiliated to the Union which benefitted from the grant include Nyaigwa, Nyaguta, Nyamarambe, Nyaturubo and Nyabomite farmers’ co-operative society with each of them receiving KSh650,000. The Union management’s move was prompted by the need to have efficient coffee handling and processing at co-operative societies’ level leading to poor prices in the market which also translates to poor payments to farmers. Mainya challenged the co-operative officials from the societies which benefitted from the grant to ensure the funds have been put into prudent use to enhance efficient coffee handling and processing at co-operative society levels. “I am reminding co-operative society of-
ficials from co-operatives which benefitted from the Ministry of Agriculture’s grant to ensure the funds have been put into the intended use to enhance quality as well as efficient handling and processing of farmers’ coffee produce at society levels,” stated Mainya. However, he warned co-operative societies’ leaders against going for advance loans from commercial coffee millers and banking institutions to pay farmers while their coffee produce was still in the market. He noted that such a move overburdened farmers with debts accruing from high interest rates from the advance loans.
Warning
“I am advising co-operative officials to resist pressure from their farmers to take advance loans which attract high interest rates from commercial coffee millers and banks to pay them while their coffee was still in the market,” stated Mainya. He added: “Such an action would lead to poor coffee payments to farmers as much of the coffee sales goes to servicing of the advance loans taken by the officials to pay farmers in advance as their coffee was still awaiting marketing.”
Nacada opens central regional office in Nyeri By JOSEPH MUKUBWA The war against drug and alcohol abuse in central Kenya will be intensified with a Government officer deployed to the region. The officer attached to National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (Nacada) will man the office which was recently opened in Nyeri town to serve five counties in the region. The counties are Kiambu, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang’a and Kirinyaga. According to William Okedi, Nacada chief executive officer other regional offices had been set up in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa and were aimed at enhancing public services across the coun-
try. “They will also be collaborating and facilitating the campaign against alcohol and drug abuse,” said Okedi. He noted that they had picked on Nyeri because the Central Kenya region had been adversely affected by alcohol and substance abuse, especially the youth. The production and consumption of alcohol and other drugs is notably high as demonstrated in various surveys and research studies conducted in the region. The recent report stated that prevalence of alcohol consumption among those aged between 15 to 65 was 10 per cent in the region. His sentiment were echoed by Kiplimo Rugut, Central Provin-
cial Commissioner who lamented that the magnitude of alcohol abuse in Central Kenya was a major problem due to high levels of consumption, ease of availability, affordability and accessibility.
Vindicate
“Two thirds of the community members report high or very high usage of alcohol in their areas vindicating the public concern,” Rugut noted. He challenged the new regional office to increase community education on the use of alcohol and its effects, enhance enforcement of the legal provision on alcohol and drugs and pro-actively engage the community leaders in spearheading the campaign
against alcohol and drugs abuse in the region. “I encourage individuals, firms, institutions, civil society, nongovernmental organisations, faithbased institutions and youth groups to make use of the regional office to coordinate the implementation of programmes to prevent, control and mitigate alcohol and drugs abuse,” Rugut appealed. He lamented that the high consumption of illicit brews in the region had adversely affected education and economic growth. He said Nacada has initiated a programme to team up with civil society groups and leaders to manage a sustainable civic education campaign on the control of alcohol and drug abuse.
The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (Ken Gen) has set aside KSh65 million for two water projects in Mbeere District, which will provide water for Kiambere residents as a measure to reduce the continued crocodile attacks. KenGen operations manager in charge of Eastern Hydros Engineer Francis Kawa said that the two projects will involve construction of sand dams and provision of piped water from Masinga-Kitui water line which will be extended to Kivaa where many locals fall victim to crocodile attacks. Speaking during an inspection tour of the water projects, Kawa noted that the company took the initiative to save the residents from further attacks and provide water for the residents who in the past had to walk miles in search of the essential commodity. Kawa pointed out that the company has also provided water taps outside every power plant in the region so as to ensure all the residents living around the dams are able to get clean water for domestic use at their convenience.
Expenditure
“Of the KSh65 million, KSh15 million has already been spent in the purchase of pipes for the project that taps water all the way from the Mt Kenya Forest to Mbeere area where the residents of Issacco have already started benefiting,” he explained. Kawa said that they have already put up six sand dams spread in the region where water is tapped and the residents can take their animals to drink and also for their own consumption. He noted that with this there is no need to go to the crocodile infested Seven Folk’s Dam. He said at the completion of the projects, most residents will be safe from the attacks since they will be able to draw water near their homes through kiosks. “The company also has long term plans to put up more sand dams at strategic places where the residents can easily access water from the entire Kiambere location which in the past was in the limelight over crocodile attacks,” he observed. Kawa said that the residents have formed community liaison committees which work with the company to ensure their priorities are addressed. He noted that the community has been able to reap big from the company’s existence in the region.
Concerns
He said the company was also concerned over the environment of the area and has come up with a tree nursery where last year they provided for free 19,000 tree seedlings to the farmers for planting in their farms with a 54 per cent survival rate being reported. According to Julius Mutune, chairman Musumaa Water Kiosk in Mbeere South District, cases of waterborne diseases have also gone down as the water provided is clean and treated. Dorothy Kanini, another beneficiary said women are able to get involved in other social economic ventures since they are now able to save time, previously used in fetching water many kilometres away. “We are also appealing to Ken Gen to explore the possibility of availing tanks which can preserve water to ensure the essential commodity is available at all times,” she said.