SMS 20245:SOKOPEPE Marketing portal Unveiled

A project that has been piloted for 2 years in Laikiapia county by an international NGO, the Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) is now unveiled for use in the entire country - Kenya.

The project that aims to empower farmers to increase efficiency and access the best markets for maximum returns has been launched.

Dubbed Sokopepe — Kiswahili for virtual market — the initiative is an agricultural commodity trading platform that will link small-scale producers to final retailers or bulk purchasers.

Some of the services that are being provided include commodity prices, farm inputs, linkage with other service providers, and farming and livestock tips as well as secure mobile payment systems.

Speaking at its launch last week, the ALIN regional director, Mr James Nguo, encouraged farmers to join the platform by registering through a mobile short code.

“Sokopepe is accessible online and on mobile phone. Most transactions on Sokopepe can be completed on a basic mobile telephone handset, making it accessible to farmers in remote regions. We are, therefore, encouraging farmers and agro-pastoralists to register with Sokopepe,” said Mr Nguo.

He said the system enables farmers to earn more by connecting them directly to buyers, thus eliminating middlemen.

Joyce Mawia a champion farmer who represented kyuso community at the launch of Sokopepe projected said that from look of things Sokopepe will help many farmers  to access market information for a wise market decision.

"After sharing with other farmers representatives from other six Maarifa centres in Kenya, i realized that every region has commodities that does well in that area" said Mawia, "In Kyuso, sokopepe will enable us to market green grams and Gadam sorghum that does well in the area. Fodders such as acacia pods is also available."

 

She added that if farmers from the largest irrigation scheme in Tseikuru sub-county of Kitui district under Kalonzo Musyoka Faundation, Red Cross and other stakeholders can also benefit from sokopepe if at all they register.

 

More information : http://www.sokopepe.co.ke/

 

 

Traditional high value crops for better returns

Residents of kyuso have been advised to go back to growing of traditional high value crops for economic sustainability.

According to various research in agriculture conducted  in Ukambani, particularly in the larger Mwingi region, Traditional High Value Crops have been identified as the economic crops in the region. Research by KARI/FAO published under Corporate Document Repository (FOSA/WP/14) and through the assessment of the agricultural economic activities of Ukambani’s ASAL, the findings extended credence to the viability of Traditional High Value Crops.

 Traditional food crops such sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes, cassava, pigeon peas, cowpeas, green grams and dolichos have been pivotal in ensuring self-sufficiency in food despite being outside the bracket of other more recognized crops in the agricultural system.

These crops have been neglected for a long time with little support for their research and development. Other factor which have caused decline in production of these crops include ;low interest by Seed Companies to multiply the seeds due to low demand, low investment on research and extension to develop and promote superior varieties, emergence of pests and diseases, limited knowledge on utilization and agro-processing to add value and improve marketability.

The attitude towards these crops is changing rapidly with the realization that they have  enormous potential of ensuring food security to millions of Kenyans those living in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) that are characterized by recurrent droughts, poor soils and general lack of resources for meaningful agricultural production. These crops have also been recognized as important in adapting to climatic change.

Hence the Ministry of Agriculture together with other sector ministries held a field day on Traditional High Value Crops production, post harvest handling and marketing to educate, and promote the crops.

The theme of the field day was “Promotion of Traditional High Value Crops for Economic Sustainability in Kyuso District”.

The emphasis of growing such crops as cassava, sorghum,millet amongst were reinstated during Maseki field day where the guest of honour was the deputy county commissioner Mr. Peter Maina but represented by his assistant Mr. Shaaban.

Government worker Job Promotion through ICT Training

I Philip Munywoki Kitheka   of Ngomeni Division, Kyuso District. am  an adult  of  sound mind do  hereby  give a self  testimony concerning  the benefits that  I as an  individual  have acquired from Kyuso Maarifa Centre.

I do work with government of   Kenya   -ministry of state for provincial administration and internal security. I was employed by the government in January, 2008 as a clerical and deployed at the district commissioners HQs- Kyuso.          

On   25^th August, 2011 I sat for clerical proficiency test and passed. It is clearly stated in the circular that once a clerk has passed the proficiency, will be promoted to the next job group (From   clerical officer 2 to clerical officer1)

After passing the proficiency examination I had a very little knowledge about computers. I had no certificate as per the requirement for promotion. My certificate was only introduction to Ms-word’ 97. I was supposed to have sent my request for promotion with computer certificate covering.

·         Introduction to computer

·         Ms word                                                                                                                 

·         Ms excel 

-    Ms power point   

-    Internet                                                                                                                     

 These packages are mandatory for one to be considered for promotion.    

I had no other option apart from registering for evening classes with ALIN Kyuso under the free ICT training programme. After undergoing are two month training and issued with a certificates covering the required packages, I  forwarded the certificate to the authorized officer and as a result  I was promoted immediately to Clerical officer 1.Kudos ALIN for your concern to the community of Kyuso and other areas.

·         Free internet connection and browsing keeping me connected to my colleagues.

·         I am also taking my diploma in human resources management - University of Nairobi, Kyuso Maarifa centre has greatly assisted me in internet Research with unlimited research time.

I am also writing my research proposal for my team paper project; Kyuso Maarifa centre library has some of the best books assisting me in my research proposal writing.                                       

My thanks and prayer goes to:

1.      The ALIN administration.

2.      Mr. John ALIN –Field officer -Kyuso.

Mr. Julius Mwonga a tutor at Kyuso Maarifa Centre for their support and concern, they have the heart for people.

May God   bless ALIN!!

Free ICT training enable youth secure jobs

Gladys Kariiri finished her Secondary education in 2011 at Gankanga secondary school. When she finished school there was nobody who could have advised her on career development because most of her class mates got married immediately they completed their secondary level. Tharaka division of Mumoni district is challenged by the infrastructure since there is not even an edge mobile network and hence the resident are cut out from the neighboring districts i.e. Mbeere to the west and south east. 

One day her former teacher came to their home stead and informed her that he overheard that Kyuso Maarifa centre was offering free ICT training. The teacher had to work for 87kilometres to Kyuso to register Kenya certificate of Primary education (KCPE) candidates when he got the news.   

So when she heard of a free ICT training opportunity being offered at Kyuso Maarifa Centre, Gladys saw this as a God send opportunity. She made every arrangement possible to make sure she was in the next class. She travelled rented a house for 2 month for she could not travel for 87km every day. She saw that as a golden chance to gain skills, look for employment and save money to do diploma in psychology.

Here, she got trained on five computer packages which included; Ms Word, Ms excel Internet and e-mail, Ms Power point and introduction to technology.

 

After undergoing the training for two months, she was proud to graduate and awarded with a certificate which she says marked the start of her success. First she was successful in independent electoral and boundary commission (IEBC) interviews where she was a polling clerk. It wasn’t long before she secured a current employment at Musyoka Computer services in Kyuso town. 

Here, her duties include; typesetting, printing, photocopying, photography (passport).  

“The training was excellent because we had a qualified trainer, he was good at identifying each trainees need, strength and weakness” The 2 month training by ALIN through Kyuso Maarifa Centre changed my life completely because I was able to gain practical skills that am using in my current job,” Says a proud Gladys. .

Ms. Kariiri congratulates ALIN for giving her chance to advance her career positively. Whenever she has a problem she doesn’t hesitate to call Maarifa centre staffs since she says are very professional and friendly  

Kenya's Largest Dam to Benefit Kitui, Tharaka Nithi and Tana river County

Construction of Kenya’s biggest dam is set to start soon along River Tana. The proposed Shs 150 billion High Grand Falls Dam will be the single largest undertaking by the government in the water sector and will supply water to the Lamu resort city and port.

The 165 square kilometre dam will also be used to generate between 500MW and 700MW of electricity and help to control flooding in the Tana delta that displaces thousands of people every year.

Its construction will be funded through a public private partnership with firms from the People’s Republic of China and the Export-Import Bank of China providing the finances.

“A feasibility study and a detailed design of the High Grand Falls Dam on Tana River is now complete and work will commence any time now,” the outgoing permanent secretary in the Ministry of Water, Mr David Stower, told Smart Company during a dam inspection tour in Koibatek District, Baringo County.

The proposed dam will hold over 5.6 billion cubic metres of water and will border three counties — Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, and Tana.

“Apart from generation of electricity, the massive water in the dam will be used to irrigate more than 200,000 acres of land. This will go a long way in boosting food production in the country,” Mr Stower said. Full story

ICT training Eases E-government services in Kyuso, Kitui County

Over 800 civil servants in Kyuso have been able to access e-government services for the period between September 2012 to April 2013 through kyuso Maarifa centre courtesy of Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN).
The Government Human Resource Information System (GHRIS) is a web-based system used by the government of Kenya (www.ghris.go.ke) which was launched in 2011. GHRIS Portal’s aim is to address all the Government’s Human Resource needs. Users of the system access it remotely via the web, mobile phones and other technologies. Civil servants are required to update their information periodically and to access Human Resource updates including their pay slips.

This process involves civil servant registration in the system, updating of profiles, acquiring of P9 form as well as downloading of pay slips. Field Officer and ICT trainer have been instructing and training the civil servants on the use of computers and internet, how to process monthly pay slips as well as enabling them to get frequent online updates through their online profiles. With this knowledge, they have been able to create and update online government human resource profiles as well as to download their monthly pay slips.

However this process has not been an easy thing bearing in mind that few have computer knowledge. Mr. Stephen Owaret has been helping his colleague to process the payslip online after taking ICT training from the Maarifa centre. Owaret is an administration officer from the office of the president kyuso. He started helping the civil servants access their payslip when he realized that most civil servants were in a position he was in before he joined Kyuso Maarifa for ICT training.

Most of the beneficiaries are chief, assistant chiefs, administration police, Kenya police , ministries staffs etc. “I cannot fail to help my colleagues process the payslip because I also couldn’t before I was trained” said Owaret “Helping them has also been a learning platform for me because I learn new this anytime am called upon to help” added Owaret