News

MAKUENI TO ROLL OUT LIVESTOCK INSURANCE PROJECT

The Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperative Development in Makueni County on Thursday held a successful stakeholder engagement forum on the roll-out of a livestock insurance project dubbed DRIVE (Derisking, Inclusion, and Value Enhancement of Pastoral Economies) project.

This project aims to sensitize livestock farmers in the county’s dry areas about the importance of livestock insurance, which supports sustaining livestock during droughts by providing feeds and water.

50 community mobilizers, primarily youth farmers, have been selected to register livestock farmers for insurance and educate them on marketing strategies.

County Executive Committee Member Joyce Mutua said the program, in partnership with the World Bank, reflects the County Government’s commitment to support livestock farmers for sustainable and optimum livestock production.

Makueni to Roll out Countywide Mass Livestock Vaccination program

The County Government of Makueni through the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development is set to roll out a mass vaccination program in March, targeting at least 200,000 livestock across the county.

The livestock diseases targeted for vaccination include foot and mouth disease, Lumpy skin disease in cattle while sheep and goats will be vaccinated for contagious pneumonia and goat plague

Currently, the department has prioritized vaccination of dairy cows due to their vulnerability ahead of the mass vaccination.

According to Agriculture CEC Joyce Mutua, the exercise is being implemented in partnership with Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society Limited and aims at increasing household incomes of dairy farmers in Makueni through reduction of livestock disease outbreaks.

The Cooperative is facilitating the aggregation of animals at a central point for vaccination as well link the vaccinators to farmers who prefer vaccination of the animals in their own crushes and homes.

On its part, the county government is conducting farmer sensitization on livestock disease control and other veterinary matters, and coordinating the procurement, collection, storage and delivery of livestock vaccines

Mutua, however, adds that the services will be accessed at a subsidized fee of Sh. 50. Per animal.

Makueni To Plant 1.2M Trees by 2026

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr on Tuesday led Makueni residents in celebrating International Day of Forests by spearheading restoration of Mbitini location tree cover. The area has for years witnessed formation of life-threatening gullies and flash floods following wanton destruction of tree cover.

County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Urban Planning, Environment and Climate Change Dr. Sonia Nzilani has said the county will plant and grow at least 1.2M trees by the year 2026 in partnership with Mastercard Foundation to restore environmentally degraded lands in Makueni.

As part of a long-term strategy towards environmental conservation, the department is training and establishing environmental clubs in at least 18 schools to promote environmental education and greening programs.

The event was staged at Masokani County Technical Training Institute in Mbitini ward, Makueni Sub-county.

MAKUENI TO PILOT THE NATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND BREEDING PROGRAM

Makueni County has been selected by the National Government to pioneer the National Animal Health and Breeding Program, Agriculture and Livestock Executive Committee Member Joyce Mutua has announced.

The initiative, a nationwide effort, aims to bolster livestock health through extensive vaccination drives and the promotion of superior breeding practices.

Mutua said Makueni’s selection was due to its outstanding record in conducting annual vaccination campaigns, integral to its broader strategy of combating livestock diseases.

Once the breeding quality is enhanced, the county plans to shield livestock from adverse weather conditions by providing insurance coverage.

Mutua spoke on Thursday during the launch of this year’s livestock vaccination program in Nguu Masumba Ward, Kibwezi-West Sub-county.

This year’s vaccination schedule will focus on protecting cattle from Foot and Mouth Disease, Lumpy Skin Disease, and Rift Valley fever, while goats will be safeguarded against Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia. Poultry will also receive vaccinations against NewCastle Disease.

The vaccination program will span 485 vaccination sites, targeting over 15,000 households, with the overarching objective of eradicating priority livestock diseases within the county.

Dr. Daniel Ksee, the County Veterinary Officer present at the event, reported that Makueni has successfully vaccinated more than 400,000 livestock, including cattle, sheep, and goats, over the past three years.

Makueni to pilot Telemedicine health provision

By Onesmus Nzioka

Makueni has yet again made enviable strides in its healthcare provision by venturing into Telemedicine.

Telemedicine is the remote delivery of healthcare services, such as health assessments or consultations over the telecommunications infrastructure.

The program, launched at Thange Africa Brotherhood Church, Thange ward, is a brainchild of the ABC church through the National Council of Churches of Kenya in partnership with the government of Makueni County.

The program, dubbed Comprehensive Community Healthcare Initiative (CCHI), was unveiled by ABC Archbishop in charge of East Africa Timothy Ndambuki and governor Kivutha Kibwana on Wednesday.

The program entails a mobile internet linked multi diagnosis kit based at Thange and doctors based at the Makueni County Referral Hospital, who are linked into the system through installed software on their side.

The system is both web and android based such that enlisted doctors will get alerts of booked cases from the remote health centre on their mobile phones as per their schedules of assigned duties.

Patients will walk into the Thange health facility, their diagnosis carried out by a resident nurse and the results relayed in real time to the doctors who will then analyze and prescribe the proper medication to be administered by the nurse at Thange.

For complicated cases, the system enlisted doctors will be able to seek further consultations from more qualified doctors across the globe on behalf of their patients.

Patients will also have a face-to-face consultation with the doctors, through teleconferencing, who will then direct the resident nurse(s) on what tests to carry out.

Governor Kibwana has directed the county health department to dedicate a unit for the telemedicine program on a 24-hour basis to make it work.

County Health Executive Andrew Mulwa has announced that all the county level 4 hospitals will be linked into the program so as to address a broad range of health services.

According to Archbishop Ndambuki, the program will be rolled out in the whole of Ukambani under the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) if it succeeds in Makueni.

The program is enabled by a digital communication network and applications provider registered in Kenya under the name DIGLOSO run by a US based Kenyan named John Musau.

Makueni has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the company for extensive roll out of the program.

MAKUENI TO PILOT LIFESAVING MATERNAL NUTRITION PROGRAMME

Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Friday morning hosted officials from Vitamin Angels for a courtesy call at the Governor’s Office ahead of the national launch of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) at Makindu Sub County Hospital.

The delegation was led by the organization’s Vice President, Jimmy Grattan.

The visit comes as Kenya prepares to roll out MMS in line with the World Health Organization’s 2020 antenatal care guidelines, which recommend the introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation.

The supplement comprises 15 essential vitamins and minerals, including iron and folic acid, aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Makueni County has been selected as the first to pilot the systematic integration of MMS into antenatal care services.

The initiative is guided by implementation science and anchored on locally driven solutions, positioning the county at the forefront of advancing maternal nutrition interventions in the country.

MAKUENI TO PILOT COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR HEALTH AND WATER SYSTEM.

Makueni County will pilot compound semiconductor–enabled renewable energy technology to power its health and water infrastructure, a move expected to cut electricity costs by up to 30 percent.

The plan announced Wednesday during a consultative meeting between county officials and the University of Nairobi (UoN), will be carried out under the Compound Semiconductor–Enabled Renewable Energy Systems for Powering Critical Buildings in Africa project being implemented by UoN’s Department of Physics.

Briefing Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr., the UoN team led by Prof. Julius Mwabora said the technology delivers higher efficiency and lower operating costs than conventional systems.

Governor Mutula welcomed the initiative, noting it will transfer technical skills to county staff and significantly reduce power bills for facilities that run continuously

The governor added that Makueni has strong solar resources and already has an energy plan and enabling policies in place to support large-scale renewable energy deployment.

Makueni to Partner with Salvation ARMY in Climate Change Resilience Building

Makueni County has secured the support of the Salvation Army in Climate Change Resilience Building through a five-year project dubbed MSETO WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Resilience by the church.

The USD 2.5 Million project aims at ensuring Water, Sanitation hygiene (WASH) access in five counties; Makueni, Kitui, Machakos, Samburu and Isiolo counties.

The Project manager George Obondo says the project will also ensure Improved food and Economic security in the targeted communities; Improved WASH access in the communities and schools; Improved health and nutrition as well Climate Justice and Environmental Sustainability.

The project, which runs up to 2023, draws funding from among other partners: Sweden/Latvia, Australia, UK/Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary & Austria.

The MSETO Resilience-WASH and Food Security Project, launched today, Friday April 12, in Nairobi and graced by Deputy governor Adelina Mwau and ABC Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki, is an improvement of a similar pilot project in Salvation Army schools in the said Counties.

According to Salvation Army Kenya East Territorial Commander, Commissioner Margaret Siamoya, the project has previously supported 20 schools in Makueni with four 16,000-litre water tanks each as well as building toilets of World Health Organization standards.

DG Adelina Mwau termed the partnership a noble cause largely focusing on preparing and building the capacity of communities to enable them absorb, adapt and transform their lives in the face of complexities and uncertainties brought about by the impacts of climate change.

Makueni to Partner with GIZ in Green Energy Development

The Government of Makueni County is set to partner with GIZ in green energy development as it implements its 2018-2022 County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). The partnership will involve exploration of conservation measures and renewable energy in order to reduce defforestation especially that which is linked to charcoal burning. A detailed partnership plan was discussed today when the Deputy Governor, H.E. Adelina Mwau, hosted representatives from GIZ in her office. In the plan GIZ will train women and the youth at the ward level on green energy development.

Both partners will develop the green energy sector in the County in order to stimulate development and contribute to the well-being of the society. Makueni schools and hospitals among other institutions will be encouraged to shun traditional cooking methods that use charcoal and firewood and embrace green energy in cooking and lighting. This will entail the use of solar lamps, Jiko Kisasa and solar water pumps among other products.

‘By training the youth, women and persons with disability who will later sell the green energy products to the community, we will have created an income to them’, affirmed H.E. Adelina Mwau as she reflected on the employment opportunities and immense job creation potential the partnership has for the youth and unemployed. It is envisaged that the partnership in green energy development will address climate change and will lead to an increase in the forest cover in the County and contribute to meeting the national goal for 10% forest cover.

MAKUENI TO PARTNER WITH CIM TO BOOST FARMER-LED IRRIGATION IN MAKUENI

Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. on Thursday engaged in a productive discussion with Bishop Dr. Titus Masika of Christian Impact Mission (CIM) to explore collaboration on a farmer-led irrigation initiative aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and climate resilience.

CIM, a faith-based development agency, focuses on creating community transformation models and training tools, with a strong emphasis on building resilience against climate change and other environmental challenges.

In partnership with the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP), CIM is set to roll out an irrigation project in Marwa, Kiima Kiu/Kalanzoni ward.

The initiative will involve the excavation of 200 farm ponds, each with a minimum capacity of 250m³, targeting a total of 552 hectares. The project is expected to harvest at least 37,500m³ of water per watershed, ensuring sustainable water supply for irrigation.

Once completed, farmers will actively participate by shaping, fencing and dedicating at least one acre each for irrigation.

This piloting initiative is a step geared towards strengthening food security, promoting water conservation, and enhancing climate adaptation for vulnerable communities in the region.

The meeting was also attended by CECM for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development, Joyce Mutua, as well as Livestock Chief Officer Japheth Kiminza and other county officials.

This collaboration highlights the governor’s commitment to innovative, sustainable agriculture solutions that empower farmers and secure livelihoods in the face of climate change.