Category: BUSINESS

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Mandera has been among the counties hardest hit by the brutal effects of drought due to climate change. The region is so dry that some children born two years ago have never witnessed torrential rain which has been experienced in various parts of the country.

But despite the harsh weather that has wiped out most vegetation and led to emaciated livestock, one farmer boasts a lush farm, deep in the ‘desert’ land. With shrubs and thorny vegetation, only one farm is noticeable from far.

Noor Adan Mohammed, who has no formal education, runs an admirable green wonder along River Dauwa flowing from the Ethiopian highlands across the common border with Ethiopia. So green is his farm, the images of banana plantations would pass for a plantation in Gusiiland or Meru.

His vast farm is dotted with pawpaw, passion fruits, grafted oranges, lemons, mangoes, and watermelons at various stages of growth. While his neighbors wait for handouts from NGOs and the county government, he has become a food supplier in his village and beyond. Indeed, he is setting the pace for locals, who still hold the mentality that only livestock can thrive in the area.

“I have proven that farming done the right way brings returns. I am rewriting the story of Mandera by proving to locals that crops can do well here if good husbandry is practiced,” says Hassan who started the venture eight years ago.

With water being the biggest headache for herders, he sources his irrigation water from River Data which forms the natural border between Kenya and Ethiopia. His farm stretches some 16.7 acres and on it stands 1,000 pawpaw-fruit trees, some 746 oranges trees among other fruits So what solutions does he use to outsmart dry weather?

First, he rotates his crops from nuts to onions so that the farm can have a healing period. This he says, helps to naturally keep diseases at bay and rejuvenate the soil. He does pruning at the right time to control diseases and optimal growth.

Additionally, he practices good tillage and does mulching to maintain soil moisture. “In an arid area like Mandera evaporation is common so when you water your crops, even before the roots abord it, it has already evaporated. But when you put mulch over the soil like a plastic one or grass, water is retained in the soil,” he explains.

Crop rotation also helps Hassan to guard against vicious weeds that rob the main crops of nutrients and water, leading to stunted growth. “Manure is more useful than artificial fertilizers, that is how I keep my farm organic,” he points out.

For the stubborn fungal, viral, and bacterial infections he sprays to save his fruit trees. Noor is such a stickler for best practice rules, his farm has gotten rave reviews from renowned figures in the area including Governor Ali Roba and Mandera County Director of Agriculture, Bernard Ogutu. The farm is often used as a demonstration site.

“He is a good farmer who follows the rule book. We are supporting him with extension services and basic infrastructure like water tanks to take his farming to the next level,” says Mr. Ogutu. Given that he is among the few who farm in a large pastoralist community, Ogutu says the county agriculture officials always visit his farm to guide him through the process.

“There were a few misses like spacing, and pruning at the right time. He needs to reinvent the farm with drip irrigation to help cut costs,” says Ogutu. Noor also grows maize for fodder for his animals.

Because he is the only farmer in his village, the market is not an issue. “There is never a market glut here. I sell at the farm gate and I incur no transport costs.”

Having grown pawpaws for years and is the main crop on the farm, he has advised those looking to grow them, “Pawpaws do well in warm areas but must be sheltered from strong winds because stems and roots are not very strong. Irrigation also helps flowers guard against abortion,” Noor says.

He adds: “Soils must be well-drained and in flood-prone areas ensure there is no water logging or it will kill crops within days. Pawpaw roots are very sensitive to water. The rest is just normal weeding to guard against stunted growth.”

But his success is not without challenges. He pumps water three days for up to 28 hours to serve the entire farm. “I use 56 liters of fuel every pumping session costing me Sh56, 000 to keep the plants alive, or else you would have to wait for Allah to send the rains to Mandera,” Hassan says jokingly.

Weighed down by fuel costs, he is thinking about solar solutions. “The cost of installation is Sh5.8million. I am shopping for cheaper working solutions,” Noor says. He has also suffered crop failure.

“Sometime back, I planted about 3,000 grafted oranges and only 750 survived. Some insects attack my fruits when they are about one meter tall. It can be discouraging but you have to hang in there as a farmer.” He has sought the help of county officials to deal with the issue.

“I always report to the county officials when I face a nagging problem. It is good to report the problem early enough so that the remedy can work,” Hassan advises. He says he settled on grafted oranges for several reasons.

“Grafted oranges take a shorter period to mature. Instead of seven years, fruition starts after three to four years.” Grafting also helps make citrus fruits disease resistant and adapt to hot dry weather.

He also intercrops cereals and legumes to keep weeds away. Another challenge is the waiting period.

“There is a long waiting period after investing your money in the farms. You stay up to three years waiting for pioneer fruits. You have to tend to the trees. A father of 23 children is tired of selling oranges and mangoes for more or less the same price each year.

He is targeting the cottage industry to do value addition to his produce. “The future is in value addition and embracing technology that is the way I intend to go in the coming years.”

L’Oréal Paris, one of the world’s biggest beauty brands has officially launched into the Kenyan market as it expands its footprint in the beauty market with the introduction of a wide range of products specifically catered t the Kenyan market. L’Oréal which prides itself as pioneering in beauty science, Parisian and a feminine brand that empowers women through its famous slogan “Because you’re worth it,” says rising customer demand for luxury but affordable beauty and personal care products is behind its entry into Kenya to better meet the requirements of the market and grasp local opportunities.

“L’Oréal Paris brings to the market quality, effectiveness, and innovation in a country with a growing consumer base but still a huge number of potential consumers that largely remain untapped,” said L’Oréal East Africa Managing Director Serge Sacre.

The brand has announced the availability of its top-rated Revitalift Filler Range, targeting different skin types. The product has been developed to protect users’ skin against sun damage and fine lines while promoting a healthy and youthful glow. L’Oréal is banking on its research and development center to come up with products according to local preferences. L’Oréal currently invests 4% of its revenue in research and development.

Sacre added the market has the potential to move from its current 30% penetration to a value of a billion dollars in five years from its current estimated value of $200 million.

L’Oréal has a presence in 140 countries and over 85,400 employees.

The global anti-aging products market size valued at $ 40.49 billion in 2020 is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2021 to $ 60.26 billion by 2028, according to a report by research firm, Grandsview.

Growing awareness among consumers on age-related skin problems such as fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness of skin, coupled with an increasing propensity to spend on products that help them to proclaim their skin youthfulness, the research firm said will drive the market demand throughout the forecast period.

The Nairobi launch brought together industry experts including scientists, dermatologists, distributors, and celebrities.

About L’Oréal

For over 110 years, L’Oréal, the world’s leading beauty player, has devoted itself to one thing only: fulfilling the beauty aspirations of consumers around the world. L’Oréal is the manufacturer of Kenya’s Number 1 body lotion Nice & Lovely. Our purpose, to create the beauty that moves the world, defines our approach to beauty as inclusive, ethical, generous, and committed to social and environmental sustainability.

With our broad portfolio of 35 international brands and ambitious sustainability commitments in our L’Oréal for the Future program, we offer every person around the world the best in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity, and responsibility, while celebrating beauty in its infinite plurality.

With 85,400 committed employees, a balanced geographical footprint, and sales across all distribution networks (e-commerce, mass market, department stores, pharmacies, hair salons, branded and travel retail), in 2021 the Group generated sales amounting to 32.28 billion euros.

With 20 research centers across 11 countries around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and 3,000 tech professionals, L’Oréal is focused on inventing the future of beauty and becoming a Beauty Tech powerhouse.

More information on https://www.loreal.com/en/mediaroom

Naivasha, May 20, 2022, leading retailer Naivas Supermarket is set to open the doors of its newest outlet in Kayole, Naivasha along the Nairobi- Nakuru highway.

The opening of the new store covering 18,000 square feet puts Naivas national store count at 84 with three of those now in Naivasha. The other outlets within the town are Naivasha Kubwa and Naivasha Ndogo.

Naivasha Ndogo is the original store that first bore the name Naivasha Self Service Stores a name that later evolved to Naivas. Speaking on the expansion, Naivas Chief Commercial Officer, Willy Kimani, said “We celebrate each store opening as it adds fuel to the fire that drives the business which is to see to it that we remain to be a local success story upon which many other Kenyan entrepreneurs build their dreams. However, we are particularly very excited about this opening.”

“The new outlet has a well thought out product range that has become akin to the brand and being the first foodmarket in Naivasha you can bet that the experience is going to be  wholesome not just for the residence of Kayole but even for travelers headed to the rift and western part of the country. This mixed-use buildout has all a traveler needs and we can for sure promise that your stopovers just became better as it is very accessible and has ample parking,” concluded Willy Kimani.

As is the tradition, exclusive opening will be offered to shoppers living up to its brand promise; saves you money and more so during these hard economic times.

An animal rights activist has raised alarm over the increase in the number of donkeys being slaughtered illegally in bushes in various parts of the country.

Speaking to the press in his office in Naivasha Thursday, the Brooke East Africa Regional Director Mr. Raphael Kinoti said various cases of donkey slaughtering have been reported in various places such as Kitengela and Athi River in Machakos County, with the latest case being reported in Mbaruk in Gilgil area in Nakuru County.

“The donkeys are slaughtered in bushes and the meat harvested which means Kenyans could be unknowingly consuming donkey meat when visiting their favorite eatery or get their fresh cut from a butchery to carry home,” Kinoti said.

He hailed the Ministry of Agriculture for closing the four donkey abattoirs that had been licensed in the country, saying the donkey population in the country is now on its way to recovery after this closure.

The government had ordered donkey slaughterhouses to close in 2020, as concerns rose over the theft of the animals by gangs seeking their skin and other products.

The operators filed a case in court opposing this ban but the ban has not been lifted yet. Two of the abattoirs were in Naivasha and I Mogotio in Baringo County.

Kinoti said during the period the slaughterhouses were operating, the country lost over 300,000 donkeys which presented a very big loss as the country boasts of having slightly over 1.8 million donkeys of which around three-quarters are working animals used in transport and farming thereby playing a key role in Kenya’s agricultural economy.

The director of this animal welfare organization said animals were important in the economic lives of many Kenyans, especially in arid and semi-arid areas where they were used for transporting water and other items due to their resilient nature.

He appealed to donkey farmers to continue taking good care of their animals so that they could reproduce to increase their numbers.

“An overworked donkey with poor nutritional status cannot reproduce,” Kinoti said urging farmers to always give their donkeys time to rest and feed and provide medical care when they are unwell.

Kenya had become the epicenter of a fast-growing industry in Africa to supply donkey skins to China, where gelatin called ejiao made from boiling them is used in a traditional medicine believed to stop aging and boost libido.  This saw the prices of donkeys rise from     Sh 6,000 to Sh 10,000.

“Donkey skin is said to be good for building up the body and blood deficiency conditions such as anemia, heavy menses as well as irritating dry coughs in China. This has endangered donkeys in Kenya,” Kinoti said.

The trade-in donkey meat and hide were legalized in Kenya in 2012. Although Veterinary experts say donkey meat is safe for human consumption, its consumption is yet to gain ground in Kenya.

A report from Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) showed that more than 4,000 donkeys were reported stolen over the period April 2016 to December 2018.

Kenya had in 2016 licensed four donkey abattoirs which is far more than any other country on the African continent.

Meru National Agricultural Show is expected to resume this year after a break of about two years following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year’s show will be held from June 1-4 and is expected to attract more attendants as well as exhibitors compared to the previous years, considering that invitations have been extended to Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Isiolo and Laikipia Counties.

This year’s theme will be ‘promoting innovation and technology in agriculture and trade’.

Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Chief Executive Batram Muthoka told journalists that they would be running nine shows this year as opposed to the usual 16 following the stringent resumption protocols set by the Ministry of Health in regards to Covid-19.

“We successfully held the Eldoret show recently and Meru will be the second,” said Muthoka.

He said in 2019, when the last show was held in Meru, 250,000 people attended and this number is expected to rise to between 300,000-350,000 this year based on the intensive marketing strategy being applied.

“We have just invited the neighboring counties to this show and therefore we anticipate that quite a number of people will attend the show,” said Muthoka.

He said the ASK was also looking at ways of fully utilizing their assets at the show grounds to ensure they were not only active during the show dates.

“We are running through development of an integrated land use master plan and we have already completed the one in Jamhuri Park and a few other shows,” he said.

“In the next phase, we are coming to Meru so that we have that master plan that will pick up other investment plans so that this becomes a main city of Meru and draw many businesses into the ground,” said Mr Muthoka.

“Simply, we are saying that other than the shows that we run, we will have many other investments here in Meru showground,” he added.

The showground’s Chairman Mr. Stanley Mukaria said they were expecting better shows this year and encouraged more people to attend.

“As you know, if a product gets out of the market for some time, it comes back with some improvements and this is what should be expected of our shows,” he said adding that they were also expecting to have more than 150 exhibitors as opposed to 2019 where they had only 28.

He said so far, they were happy with the ongoing preparations and the positive feedback they were receiving from the stakeholders.

Some of the planned activities during the show include farmers’ training, demonstration plots, networking with exhibitors, display of various exhibits and products, purchase of certified seeds and farm inputs among others.

Negative health impacts will only get worse as the demand for meat continues to grow considering that by 2030, meat consumption is projected to grow by 30 percent in Africa.

According to the World Animal Protection (WAP), this skyrocketing demand has seen billions of stressed animals mutilated and confined to cramped and barren cages or pens for their whole lives.

In their research findings released today in a report dubbed “The Hidden Health Impacts of Industrial Livestock Systems in Africa’, rising human illnesses are from the consumption of livestock derived foods containing food safety hazards

According to the report, the most damaging human health impact has been linked to industrial livestock production systems including the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and yet governments around the world are turning a blind eye to the public health toll of factory farming as well as the suffering of billions of farmed animals.

WAP says that report builds on the concept of five pathways “through which food systems negatively affect our health” as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in their 2021 report Food Systems Delivering Better Health.

Speaking during the release of the report, Dr. Victor Yamo, Farming Campaigns Manager at WAP said that the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance in Africa is driven by the weak regulatory capacity of government agencies charged with the responsibility of managing the production, registration, distribution, and utilization of these products leading to the rampant misuse.

“The law requires that antimicrobial drugs be purchased against a prescription, but our farmers can purchase the same over the counter without a prescription,” he said

Dr. Yamo added that the situation is further compounded by the inadequate extension personnel on the ground to advise the farming community on innovative and good animal welfare, animal husbandry, and animal health practices which would render the need for use of antimicrobial drugs unnecessary.

Dr. Lian Thomas, a Scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi said that the health of farmed animals and their environment must be a high priority for the public health sector.

“Sustainable food systems which promote good animal health and welfare, and environmental protection, will directly protect human health,” he said

Dr. Thomas noted that Industrial livestock farming requires the production of a high density of genetically homogenous animals, which leads to the quick spread of diseases many of which can directly affect human health.

Systemic shifts will therefore be needed to deliver the biggest health gains for the population which include re-orientating subsidies away from factory farming towards humane and sustainable practices, improving the affordability of plant-based foods, and providing transition support for farmers who no longer wish to engage in factory farming.

Jacqueline Mills, Head of Farming, at World Animal Protection, said that Industrial Livestock Production systems are not only cruel to the animals that they produce but are also making humans sick.

“On the surface, the meat, eggs, fish, and dairy products produced by these systems seem cheap, but they are costing us our health and our governments trillions of dollars each year to mop up the damage they cause,” she said.

Mill said there is, therefore, a need to break the cycle of suffering of the animals in the food system and that the food industry needs to embrace a humane and sustainable future where farmed animals are kept in genuinely high welfare systems where they can have good lives.

“Now is the time for governments to focus on better health outcomes for farmed animals, people, and the planet. We need a moratorium on Industrial Livestock Production systems,” Mill added

To make these shifts, WAP has called upon African governments to impose a moratorium on Industrial livestock production systems, introduce and enforce higher farmed animal welfare standards like the Farm Animals Responsible Minimum Standards (FARMS)

The commitment in the form of a moratorium on industrial livestock production systems should also be within the National Climate Action Plans in recognition of these systems’ contribution to climate impacts.

The African governments must also develop and implement national One Health, One Welfare action plans and national Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) plans that recognize the health impacts of industrialized livestock and restrict its growth.

The report has highlighted that three-quarters of the world’s antibiotics are used in farmed animals, either to prevent them from getting sick, to promote fast growth or, to treat disease, practice driving the emergence of superbugs (antimicrobial-resistant bacteria), which leaves us less able to fight infections.

New research has found that 1.27 million people die each year from superbugs, and it is estimated that by 2050 this will be the leading cause of death globally.

Kenneth Lomericol Kimaiwa, from the remote village of Kinyach in Baringo North, we had the privilege of cooking for two former presidents, the late Daniel Arap Moi and President the late Mwai Kibaki has joined other Kenyans in paying glowing tribute to the latter.

Kimaiwa was employed in 1998, courtesy of former personal secretary to president Moi, and deployed to Eldoret State Lodge as a driver for the late president.

He says since that opportunity had not yet opened, he landed himself in the garden, where he only worked for only one month and was reassigned to the kitchen as a supervisor, where his terms and conditions of service were converted into permanent and pensionable.

Kimaiwa who served as a cook for the late President Moi at the Eldoret State Lodge until he retired in 2002 says that one day in 2005, the now-deceased President Kibaki and the late First Lady Lucy Kibaki, visited the lodge and they were pleased, with the kind of food he had prepared for them.

On the eve of the Christmas festivity of the same year, he was informed that he was required at Mombasa State House by Lucy Kibaki the following day.

“I was at my Kinyach home that moment when I was told that the first lady wanted me to report at Mombasa statehouse. It was my first time boarding a plane as I missed a Mombasa-bound bus in Nairobi by a whisker. I quickly thought and went straight to State House, Nairobi, where I explained myself and the staff arranged for a flight which I boarded with the late Kibaki that same day,” he said.

In an exclusive interview with KNA at the Baringo Information office in Kabarnet Monday, Kimaiwa, 59, described the late retired president as humble, outgoing and a person who loved his employees.

“I will forever remain thankful to the late president and his wife for recognizing my efforts and allowing me to cook and serve them. It was during this period that I got to know some of his children including Judy and Jimmy Kibaki,” says Kimaiwa who remembers his stay at the State House with nostalgia.

He notes that his first day at Mombasa State House was punctuated with fear and trembling since he was the only cook and was being supervised by the former first lady but thanks God that he managed to exceed her expectations.

When the first family left for Nairobi after New Year celebrations, Kimaiwa who currently serves as a Chief cook at Kenya School of Government (KSG), Kabarnet campus, says Lucy recommended his transfer to Nairobi State House.

“My dedication, commitment, and mannerism might have pleased the Kibakis’ and that is why they recommended me to serve at Nairobi State House upon leaving Mombasa, a job I took with a lot of zeal,” he narrates.

Kimaiwa explains that he cooked for Kibaki up to 2008 when he requested a transfer since the work had overwhelmed him. He used to wake up as early as 5 am and sign out past midnight after preparing a menu for the next day.

The late president, Kimaiwa points out, enjoyed local delicacies like Managua, Cabbages, Njahi, Arrow roots, roasted Potatoes, Mukimo, Pork, and white meat including Fish as well as Chicken.

The chief cook, who no longer cooks but only does supervision at the institution says that one uniqueness with Kibaki was the fact that he would instruct him to carry along with him foodstuff and cooking equipment whenever he was traveling to even beyond the country.

“Before he leaves the State House for visits across the country and beyond, he would first check on me to see to it that I am also ready with my tools of the trade,” says Kimaiwa.

Kimaiwa who says he has never enrolled in any course in hospitality, but only gained skills and knowledge on food preparation from the workplace, states that his performance culminated in a stronger bond with the then first family as he could be entrusted with all the cooking department even on Sundays when Kibaki’s attended mass.

The Form Two dropout says he will remain indebted to Kibaki for allowing him to serve at State House for the entire first term and part of the second term, adding that his tour of duty in the ‘house on the hill’ allowed him to tour countries like China, South Arabia, Tanzania and, South Sudan just to mention a few.

“For the period I served as head cook at State House, I had no leave or off days, since the nature and volume of work would not allow me to do so. I, therefore, requested for a transfer since the work was very tedious and the fact that I was missing my family members in Baringo,” he says adding the closest he came to being honored with Head of State Commendation (HSC), was on Jamhuri day of 2007, but missed out due to some logistical issues.

“I am optimistic that one day I shall be honored for my work of serving two former presidents for 20 years,” he said, even as he appealed to the funeral committee, chaired by Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i, to consider facilitating him to attend the burial of his former boss in his Othaya Home in Nyeri County since he missed that of the late President Moi and former First Lady Lucy Kibaki.

“I will appreciate it if I am invited to attend the ceremony so that I can pay my last respects to my boss, after missing out on the burial ceremonies of former first lady Lucy Kibaki, and Second President Daniel Moi,” he stressed.

The cook, who was born to a family of seven, and raised in the remote village of Kinyach in Baringo North Sub-County, joined school late, as his father preferred him to herd family livestock, thus curtailing his quest for education.

“Immediately I dropped out of school, I enrolled for a driving course in Eldoret and after completion, I again went to the village, where I served at the home of late retired president Moi’s longest-serving personal secretary John Lokorio.

He says that he worked for Lokorio as his farm manager at Kalabata, until when he rewarded him with employment at Eldoret State Lodge, where he started interacting with the late second president of the Republic of Kenya Daniel Arap Moi.