Category: General

The Test de Connaissance du Francais examination was reopened recently at UB according to a public notice by the Dean of the faculty of Arts, Prof. Epuge Michael Etuge.

The registration process has no intermediaries, the same announcement had emphasized. For this reason, interested persons turned out in their numbers for the exercise.

Speaking to CNA, some candidates indicated that they had come from other towns including Douala and Yaounde for the examination.

After obtaining an order number and collecting bank clearance containing the various payment details, the potential candidates are expected to do the necessary payment.

The first session of the TFC examination at the University of Buea will take place in May 2024 at the Curelf – Former Alliance Franco Camerouniase in Buea.

The TCF, Test de connaissance du français, is a language test that is used to assess the level of French comprehension and expression skills in people who are not native French speakers. It is also used by Canada or Québec for i
mmigration procedures.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) have cautioned the public and shortlisted candidates from the ongoing police cadet constable recruitment of scammers who are impersonating police officers.

Chief lnspector Elifas Kuwinga in a media statement on Wednesday said it is alleged that the suspects are targeting shortlisted candidates, pretending to be from the police recruitment office in Windhoek.

‘As alleged, a victim will receive a call from police officers (scammers) who are asking questions relating to qualifications as well as first aid certificate. The suspects then demand payment of around N.dollars 800, explaining to the victim that by paying the amount, the applicant would bypass normal procedures to obtain a first aid certificate in case they do not have it,’ Kuwinga said.

He said the suspects are deliberately using police ranks to conceal their identity and to make the public believe that it is authentic.

‘In terms of the law, NamPol does not ask or take money from shortlisted candidates i
n regards to its recruitment processes. Therefore, do not make any electronic funds transfer or cash payments to anyone (stranger),’ Kuwinga said.

The statement also cautioned the public to be vigilant of the following two cellphone numbers which are reportedly being used by the scammers: 081 436 4903 and 081 436 4929.

‘The Namibian Police Force herewith issue a stern caution to public members, particularly the shortlisted candidates and their relatives to be vigilant and never to entertain calls from strangers that are requesting money for recruitment processes. The candidates are equally assured that the Namibian Police Force have been and will continue communicating with its public through media platforms both print and electronic,’ it said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

In a bid to address Kenya’s significant rice production shortfall and enhance farmers’ income, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is pushing for the adoption of high yielding hybrid varieties to reduce the government’s annual rice import bill.

AATF, a non-profit African led organisation has partnered with farmers across the country to pilot several hybrid rice varieties to help the country bridge the shortage of the commodity which currently stands at 800, 000 metric tonnes.

Dr Kayode Sanni who heads AATF’s rice initiative said the situation has forced the country to rely heavily on imports from Pakistan, India, Thailand and Indonesia to meet the demand costing the taxpayer Sh 42 billion annually.

Kenya, he said has a huge potential for rice production adding that over ten new hybrid rice varieties have been authorised for planting which if well adopted will see the country join the league of top rice producers on the continent.

The varieties among them AH18007, AH18004, AH18003, Pwan G
old Plus, Komboka, Farm Gold Plus and Arise Gold Plus, he said were high yielding with good grain quality adding that the farmers brought on board during the pilot have registered yields of up to 10 tonnes per hectare.

This compared to inbred local varieties, he said signifies a 30 % increase in production per hectare (20-30 bags) promising farmers more income and stabilised production to enhance food security.

‘This shows that using the same set of inputs farmers planting hybrid rice are able to produce more and earn more. This in the long run is going to reduce the cost of production and make locally produced rice competitive in terms of grain quality,’ he said.

The hybrid varieties, he added, mature in 100-120 days and have demonstrated resilience to climate change shocks with research fields yielding up to 12 tonnes per hectare.

Dr Sanni said the National Rice Development Strategy 2019-2030, through which the government targets to scale up production per hectare to 7 tonnes by the year 2030 could be r
ealised faster if hybrid rice is fully embraced.

‘By using hybrid rice it is possible to achieve this target by the year 2025 if this technology we are championing is fully embraced and supported by the government,’ he said.

The adoption of hybrid rice, he said, holds promise not only for addressing the production deficit but also for enhancing farmers’ resilience to climate change and other environmental challenges.

With higher yields and improved pest and disease resistance, hybrid rice varieties, he said, offer a sustainable solution to the pressing issues facing Kenya’s rice sector.

The seeds, he added, are produced in the country, a move that promises to create job opportunities in seed production companies and rice farms if the uptake of the new technology is scaled up.

‘The parental line of these varieties is developed here in Kenya. Therefore seed companies interested in the venture will have access to it to produce their own hybrid seeds,’ he said.

Even though the uptake is still low, Dr Sanni
disclosed that AATF has partnered with the Alliance for Hybrid Rice in Africa (AHRA) which is a consortium of public and private sector players and the Cereal Growers Association (CGA) to rope in more farmers.

Through the partnership, the agency, he said, was advancing hybrid rice technologies, bringing together expertise and resources to create an enabling environment for the widespread adoption of hybrid rice cultivation practices in the country.

‘The potential impact of this initiative extends far beyond economic gains. By reducing rice imports, Kenya can enhance its food sovereignty, mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating global rice prices, and create new job opportunities,’ he said.

So far, he said over 1,500 farmers have embraced hybrid rice adding that through partnership with the Cereals Growers Association (CGA) which has a membership of over 600,000 farmers the agency plans to enlist 150,000 more farmers as the push to adopt the technology gains momentum.

CGA Project Manager Oswald Miri
ti attributed the low uptake for hybrid rice to farmer behaviour expressing optimism that more farmers will come on board by the end of this year.

‘Farmers take time to adopt new technology. We have introduced these varieties in Mwea but farmers still insist on growing basmati pishori. However, now that they are seeing the output of these new varieties and the reduced cost of production we are seeing a steady increase in the uptake,’ he said.

Grace Taka, a hybrid rice farmer at Khuluano in Bunyala North, Busia County confirmed that the varieties were high yielding promising farmers high returns as compared to local varieties.

‘I planted 0.4 hectare during the pilot and managed to get 26 bags valued at Sh150, 000. This means if I had planted a big area I would have earned more. During this time we had a problem with water but this did not affect the production much,’ she said.

Former Alego Usonga Member of Parliament (MP) Sammy Weya said hybrid rice was the way to go to empower farmers economically and loc
al production to satisfy the demand.

However, the farmers, he added, must pool together and pursue the venture on a large scale to reap maximum benefits.

Cultivating the crop on a small scale, he said, was too costly given the high costs involved in land preparation.

With the government opening up 250, 000 acres for irrigation in Nzoia, Weya said this presents a good opportunity for farmers in western Kenya to explore commercial hybrid rice farming to feed into the national basket and for export.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Residents of Igembe South Sub County have been warned against taking the law into their own hands following an incident which saw a 25 year old Dennis Matheta burnt to ashes by an angry mob.

The suspect was believed to have been stealing livestock and poultry around Kimongoro, Ankamia and Akachiu in Igembe South sub-county.

According to the angry residents, the man has been caught severally and escaped with minor beating but on Wednesday morning, the situation escalated when he was caught red handed escaping with around 20 chickens from the neighbourhood, where angry residents beat the man and set his body ablaze.

The area OCS Samada cautioned the residents not to be taking laws into their hands maintaining that, ‘We strongly condemn this act of violence and lawlessness and we urge the residents to allow justice system to perform its mandate’.

The law enforcement officer said they would not tolerate such acts which compromised the law and justice in the community.

He reiterated the importance of law, pea
ce and order and urged the residents to report any suspected criminal incident for the law to take its course.

The OCS maintained that his office is doing all it could to crack down any incidence of crime including smoking out illicit brewers.

He further called the community policing to be extra vigilant and to continue liaising with the security agencies in ensuring law and order is maintained.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Agwe Joel was a member of Separatist group fighting to restore the independence of the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

But he resigned from the revolution to join the DDR centre in the North West region.

Joel who is now jailed with wounded leg, revealed that they did ‘dirty jobs’ for the military to trap civilians whom they suspected were supporting the struggle for independence.

They also targeted Separatists in the bushes who refused to stop their weapons.

In a video circulating on social media, Agwe Joel appeared dressed ins blue top, looking frail and worn out. He expressed regrets why he joined the centre, adding that it has brought him pains.

Agwe Joel revealed he was shot by government and locked up in jail,but he did not reveal what happened .

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Kenyan food systems are facing unprecedented challenges that include low productivity and inefficient food markets.

In addition, the food system actors such as the agricultural production system, those involved in food storage, transport and trade systems, food transformation and food retail, are not adequately focusing on delivering nutritious food to consumers.

The remarks were made by Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh who added that there is a need to change the availability and affordability of nutritious foods.

Speaking when opening a three day KONGAMANO: Resilient Markets and Food Systems Governance Conference convened by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the PS noted that traditional fresh food markets are a critical hub for fresh foods and remained a primary source of both staples and nutrient-dense food for a large share of our population.

‘Fresh food are essential to food and nutrition security (FNS) of urban and rural residents. Presently,
many of these markets are set up in a way that makes them structurally and operationally vulnerable to disruptions, such as, weather hazards, fires and power failures,’ he said.

Dr. Ronoh reiterated that the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (FNSP) outlines the range of priority areas and principles for government interventions to ensure all citizens get their right to be free from hunger and all forms of malnutrition as enshrined in the Kenya Constitution, 2010.

‘We are working closely with GAIN to transform food systems while paying specific attention to the wellbeing of vulnerable members of society by supporting their ability to adapt and thrive, access to resources and their rights to sustainable and equitable food systems,’ the PS said.

He added, ‘We must not overlook the imperative of gender responsiveness and inclusivity within our endeavors. Traditional food markets are strongholds of livelihoods for many women and therefore we are obligated to ensure equitable access to resources and opportuniti
es, thus empowering women to assume meaningful roles in market governance’.

GAIN’S Kenya Country Director Ruth Okowa said that urbanisation is negatively influencing Sub-Saharan Africa household diets, evidenced by an increase in consumption of affordable, well marketed highly processed foods across the urban-rural continuum.

‘It is worth noting that more than 70 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa households, especially those most vulnerable to social, economic and environmental shocks and pervasive food insecurity and malnutrition, access food from traditional fresh food markets,’ she added.

She explained that in Kenya, traditional food markets remained a dominant source of both staples and nutrient-dense foods which indeed underpins GAIN’s work in this space.

‘As GAIN, we believe that markets are not merely physical spaces where goods are exchanged; they are the mainstay of our urban environments, serving as hubs for economic activity, cultural exchange, and social cohesion. They are where farmers, vendors,
and consumers converge, fostering connections that are essential for the resilience of our food systems,’ Okowa said.

The Country Director explained that the Keeping Food Markets Working (KFMW) programme in Kenya was implemented in Kiambu and Machakos Counties aiming at keeping fresh food markets open and well governed and related SME businesses operational during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme, she added, also provided emergency grants worth over USD 453,000 to about 40 SMEs by covering operating expenses such as rent, salaries, marketing, transport, and raw materials.

‘In collaboration with the National Government and the County Governments of Kiambu and Machakos, we also developed and disseminated over 2,200 Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to keep COVID-19 out of markets through observing hygiene and social distancing, and dos before going to the market, while at the market and after visiting the market.

Building on the experience and lessons during the implemen
tation of the KFMW, Okowa said that the Resilient Markets Programme was conceived and is currently being implemented in one market in each of the five implementation counties.

‘The markets are in Madaraka in Kiambu, Marikiti in Machakos County, Free Area in Nakuru, Soweto in Nairobi and Kongowea in Mombasa County.

The project goal is to enhance resilience of traditional fresh food markets through effective inclusion, empowerment and mobilization of key food systems actors.

It is projected that six out of every 10 people in the world were expected to reside in urban areas by 2030. Further, it is also projected that over 90 percent of this growth would take place in Africa and Asia continents with unprecedented transitions in our dietary patterns and shifts in our food systems ecosystem.

Source: Kenya News Agency