November 2022

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Researchers develop blight-resistant potato varieties for Kenya & Nigeria

By George Munene Through its Feed the Future global biotech potato partnership in Kenya and Nigeria the International Potato Center (CIP) is developing genetically engineered late blight-resistant potato varieties that will reduce farmer losses by 15 – 30 per cent and slush the current Sh1.8 billion annual cost in fungicides by at least 90%. In …

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Weekly roundup of agriculture jobs– 18th Nov 2022

By George Munene 1. Position: Milk Procurement & Extention Manager Based Location: Kiambu County Recruiter / Employer: Kiambaa Dairy Farmers Co-operative Society Limited Salary: Sh45,000 gross  About the position: Provide the required support to drive an effective service delivery to both active and non-active farmers in order to achieve high quantity and quality on-farm productivity, …

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Antimicrobial use in agriculture driving deadly global antimicrobial resistance

By George Munene According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)– an international agricultural research institute–, the agricultural sector accounts for over 60 per cent of the global increase in antimicrobial use. This makes it a leading contributor to antimicrobial resistance (AMR)– an emerging global health threat. World Antimicrobial Awareness Week which is marked between …

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Insurer unveils innovative picture-based insurance service for farmers 

By George Munene Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Ltd (ACRE Africa), is spearheading smart insurance for Kenya’s smallholder farmers through Picture Based Insurance (PBI) insurance. This will enable farmers to access insurance courtesy of images taken via satellite and smartphones.  According to Worldbank estimates only about 1 per cent of African farmers are insured. Despite …

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Research find fertilisers & certified seeds have biggest impact on Kenyan maize yield

By George Munene Researchers from the University of Delaware have shown that Kenyan smallholder farmers have the most significant increase in the yields of rainfed maize through fertiliser application and the use of certified seeds. According to the paper, other notable contributors to productivity were; nearness to markets, size of farmland, and access to extension …

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Scientists: Bt maize is developed from soil bacteria not in labs

By George Munene First introduced and adopted in the United States in 1996, Bt maize was among the first genetically modified (GM) crops grown commercially. These GM plants are not lab engineered but rather produce toxins gotten from the soil bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), hence the common name “Bt maize”. “Bt maize is a maize variety …

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Kenya inks deal with Australian firm to provide affordable green fertilisers by 2025

By George Munene The Government of Kenya and Australian green energy firm Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) have signed a binding framework agreement to manufacture affordable green fertilisers by 2025. This will lessen Kenya’s dependence on imports of fertilisers from foreign nations with fossil-fuel-free alternatives, reduce the high cost of fertiliser, boost food production as well …

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Kenya’s fresh agriculture exporters lose Sh500M as KQ pilots strike

By George Munene According to the Fresh Produce consortium of Kenya (FPCK), exporters of fresh agricultural produce from Kenya have lost Sh 500 million and counting due to the ongoing strike by Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Franklin Mithika Linturi has urged the national carrier and its pilots to work swiftly to resolve …

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UK to finance Sh500B green investments in agriculture, green energy & transport

By George Munene The UK has agreed to fast-track financing for six green investment projects worth Sh500 billion covering agriculture, green energy, and transport. This follows a meeting between Kenyan President William Ruto and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the COP27 climate summit yesterday [Monday 7 November] in Sharm-el-Sheik, Egypt. The projects include: a …

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