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Smallholder farmers across Africa are expected to receive more support from their governments after African ministers and Heads of State committed to support them to enhance food production.

The leaders, who were meeting at the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, came up with what they called the Nairobi Declaration, a roadmap to boosting fertiliser production and use and, therefore, food security in the continent.

President William Ruto said the leaders are working towards securing affordable and quality inputs through local manufacturing. “This is the only way we will enhance farm production and hasten our quest in boosting food security,” he said.

In the roadmap dubbed Nairobi Declaration, the leaders committed to triple domestic production and distribution of certified quality organic and inorganic fertiliser by 2034.

Fertiliser use in Africa stands at 18kg per hectare, which is below the global average and the target set in 2006 in Abuja by African Heads of State of 50 kg per hectare annually.

“Eighteen years later, the average fertiliser use rate stands at about 18kg, less than half of the target set in 2006. We have a responsibility to learn and apply the lessons on why this gap remains,” said Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairperson of the African Union Commission. Mahamat noted that the continent entirely depends on expensive imported fertilisers, yet some countries in Africa produce the input. In fact, he noted that there is the African Center for Fertiliser Development in Zimbabwe, which has been in existence since 1982.

“We must optimise such existing assets to boost local production and deliver quality, affordable fertilisers,” he said.

In the Declaration, the leaders further said that by 2034, they would provide to at least 70 per cent of smallholder farmers in the continent specific agronomic services for various crops, soils and climatic conditions.

This, according to them, will enhance efficiency and sustainable use of fertiliser that most African governments provide.

They promised to support efforts of natural gas producing AU Member States in fertiliser production to increase their production and stabilise prices.

The leaders further committed to fully operationalise the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism (AFFM) to improve production and distribution of fertiliser.

The Kenya Yearbook CEO, Ms Lilian Kimeto, on Friday participated in tree planting in Nandi County in an event graced by Broadcasting PS, Prof Edward Kisiang’ani, and Governor Stephen Sang.

Ms Kimeto called for the growing of trees to replace the ones cut down to make paper, adding that the State Corporation will digitise its publications in line with the government’s goal of paperless services.

The National Tree Planting Day was marked on Friday as a holiday as the government encouraged citizens to plant trees as part of efforts to attain the 15 billion target by 2030 and mitigate climate change effects.

President William Ruto has said the government is enhancing ICT infrastructure to enable citizens and the country benefit from opportunities in the digital sector, including Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services

The government’s investment in the sector includes the expansion of the national broadband network, setting up of digital hubs and provision of free public WiFi.

The goal of the investment is to create jobs for at least one million youths in the next five years.

“We are determined to claim our fair share of the BPO pie for the benefit of our young men and women who are eager to contribute to growing our economy,” President Ruto said as he officially commissioned the Call Centre International (CCI)at the Tatu City in Kiambu County.

He noted that Kenya’s strength lies in a large, skilled youthful workforce, government policies which give priority to the digital economy as a strategic pillar of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, an education system that stresses digital skills, a strategic geographical location aligning with global time zones and proficiency in English, which is widely used in major economies.

The BPO facility has employed about 5,000 youths in the digital space and brings opportunities for partnership with the government in the roll out of digital hubs in the villages.

The President said the government is strengthening existing laws to create a conducive environment for the ICT-BPO industry to thrive.

“Our goal is to develop sector-specific legislations that align with international standards in the short, medium and long term,” he said.

The efforts in strengthening the sector, President Ruto explained, include enforcing BPO standards that meet international best practices, updating fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to keep pace with technological advancements and investing in green energy.

“These efforts demonstrate our commitment to fostering a thriving, sustainable and globally competitive BPO sector in Kenya,” he said.

The President appealed to investors to collaborate with the government in its digital hubs programme for BPO operations to succeed and expand.

Mr Owalo said the opportunities available for youth in the digital space are enormous, and the prospects for the gig economy are within reach.

Over 140,000 youths trained by the government are earnings meaningful income from digital jobs, according to the ICT Ministry.

The Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services, Prof Julius Bitok, has said that the recently introduced digital ID, known as Maisha Card, would help to eliminate marginalisation in the country.

Prof Bitok said the identity that is issued at birth for newborns and those who attain 18 years has done away with roadblocks that many people, especially in border regions, used to encounter when seeking Identity Cards.

“With Maisha Card, we don’t need Vetting Committees, the reason why we have done away with them. The Maisha number will be used by citizens in their entire lives,” said Prof Bitok, who was speaking at the ongoing Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Conference in Nairobi.

He noted that digital ID is at the foundation and core of every nation. “The Maisha Card is enhancing security and interoperability across the government,” he said.

He observed that the card has several components namely Maisha Number for newborns, Maisha Card which is issued to people when they attain 18 years and Maisha Digital for digital identity.

There is also the Maisha integrated database where private sector can check and confirm citizens’ data, explained Prof Bitok.

He observed that Kenya is implementing an integrated border management system so that the government can monitor every visitor where they are and what they are doing to boost security.

He identified cyber threats, low internet and power connectivity and maintaining data privacy as some of the challenges that come with the ongoing digital transformation.

Omar Seghrouchni, the President of Morocco’s data commission, said the issuance of digital ID is part of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for everyone to have legal identity to boost Africa’s digital transformation.

Immaculate Kassait, the Data Commissioner, said Africa’s Data Protection Authorities would work towards having data systems that are interoperable to unlock the many opportunities and build their digital economies.

Besides Kenya, other countries that have introduced digital ID are Senegal, Algeria, Angola, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board is at NADPA conference to document Africa’s data protection journey.

ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo on Tuesday called on African countries to harmonise data protection laws to enhance free cross-border data transfer.

Mr Owalo, who was speaking as he officially opened the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Annual General Meeting in Nairobi, said cross-border data transfer would drive the digital economy by allowing businesses and consumers to access the best available technology and services.

“I encourage NADPA members as implementors of data protection laws in your respective countries to continuously review the legal frameworks and ensure adoption of new technologies in a data privacy secured environment,” he said.

He observed that Africa is experiencing a rapid growth in the development of digital infrastructure, including digital identification, digital payment and governance systems, thus, must have data-sharing frameworks to enhance collaborations.

The CS also raised concern over the vulnerability of children, who are now early adopters of digital technology, further calling for NADPA members to promote child safety.

In the wake of increasing use of Artificial Intelligence in various aspects of life, Mr Owalo announced that the Ministry is reviewing the regulatory framework to propose reforms and new policies, including the adoption of emerging technologies to align with the Bottom-Up-Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

CJ Martha Koome noted that the conference is crucial as it comes at a time when there is exponential use of information and communication technologies.

“In the Judiciary, we are now doing e-filing, e-tracking of cases and we have virtual courts. But this comes with risks that is why data protection and governance is crucial,” she said.

The CJ called for increased collaboration among public agencies in developing unified data points that can be shared across sectors.

“By doing so, we can reduce the risks associated with collecting data from multiple sources while simultaneously improving the quality and accessibility of data for decision making.”

ICT PS, Eng. John Tanui, reiterated the importance of forging partnerships with like-minded countries and organisations to promote cross-border data flows, while upholding high standards of data
protection.

“This includes exploring mechanisms such as adequacy decisions, which facilitate the seamless transfer of data between jurisdictions that have comparable levels of data protection and regulation harmonisation to ensure consistency and clarity for businesses and consumers alike,” he said.

Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait said that the conference seeks to provide all participants with a platform to network and exchange knowledge, gain new ideas and perspectives from peers on Africa’s digital transformation journey, data governance frameworks, especially in emerging areas on regulation of personal data, cross-border data transfer and technological advancements such as AI, block chain and the Internet of Things.

Other dignitaries at the event were German Ambassador to Kenya Sebastian Groth, EU Deputy Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Kenya Ondrej Simek, Tchimaden Hadatan Sanady, the chairperson NADPA-RAPDP, Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board (KYEB) CEO Lilian Kimeto and CEOs of various State corporations from the Ministry and private organisations.

Kenya Yearbook, the government story teller, is at the conference to document the country and Africa’s achievements in data protection and governance.

The Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board (KYEB) has today signed an MoU with the Media Council of Kenya (MCK).

The agreement signed by KYEB CEO Lilian Kimeto and MCK’s CEO David Omwoyo outlines areas for collaboration namely: Training and Capacity Building, Research and Data Sharing, Strategic Communication, Stakeholder Engagement, and Resource Mobilisation.

Mr Omwoyo appreciated the step, noting that the MoU will facilitate joint efforts between the two sister organisations to better serve journalists and citizens.

On the other hand, Ms Kimeto said that the agreement will enable both organisations to leverage each other’s skills and strengths through knowledge exchange, emphasizing that collaboration fosters growth.

Through the partnership, she noted KYEB and MCK will better communicate government policies, programmes and projects being implemented in line with the Bottom-Up Transformation Economic Agenda (BETA).

KYEB is mandated to document the government’s achievements, projects and initiatives and tell the story about Kenya’s soul through its publications including the “Yearbook”, “AgendaKenya” and “InfoBytes”.

President William Ruto has asked Development Partners to offer Africa long-term concessional loans for accelerated development.

He noted that many African countries are burdened by costly loans, with one in four spending up to 70 per cent of their revenue on repayments.

“African nations pay interest rates of up to five times higher than developed nations. This has made sustainable growth elusive as more funds are allocated to debt refinancing than to sectors like health and education,” President Ruto said at the World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA21) Africa Heads of State Summit in Nairobi.

President Ruto observed that Africa requires loans with repayment periods of up to 50 years to allow nations sufficient time to develop while repaying these loans.

“With long-term financing, Africa can transition to low carbon economies and fight climate change, the biggest threat now. High interest rates complicate refinancing, destabilise currencies and lead to high debt,” he said.

President Ruto said IDA remains the only saviour for the continent in terms of financing thus called for increased funding of the association.

“If there is a case to be made for win-win outcomes, IDA is the best example. Through IDA, both donor and recipients win. Donors will put money in energy for instance so that Africa can continue with industrialisation, then Africa can share the outcomes with the world,” he said.

He noted that investing in IDA would unlock Africa’s economic potential.

“By investing in IDA, we are unlocking the potential for green energy development and decarbonisation. By investing in IDA, we are unlocking the human resource potential, enabling Africa to provide up to 40 per cent of global labour by 2030. Significant capital injection in IDA is necessary and crucial,” said the President.

President Ruto urged development partners to join Africa in a historic moment of unity to increase their funding to IDA from $93 billion in 2022 to $120 billion in 2024. He added that this increased funding would help Africa address the devastating effects of climate change.

“Kenya and East Africa currently face severe floods; concurrently Southern Africa is grappling with the worst drought. These highlights Africa’s vulnerability to climate change,” he said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana stated that IDA exemplifies the power of international cooperation by lifting millions from poverty and building resilient health and education infrastructure.

Africa requires about $130 billion annually for infrastructure, he said, but funding gaps have hindered development.

“Mobilising funding is Africa’s biggest challenge. Global countries have not allocated adequate resources for Africa’s development. With a fast bulging population, we must provide funding for education, electricity and education facilities,” he said.

Ms Samia Suluhu, the President of Tanzania, said Africa needs more concessional resources, as she called for IDA21 to focus on providing 50-year loans to give countries time to repay.

“IDA21 replenishment should match Africa development aspirations,” she urged.

Dr Julius Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone, observed that Africa needs decisive and collaborative efforts from governments and partners like World Bank to develop.

“For IDA to remain relevant, it must adopt innovative financial solutions that cater for Africa’s needs. Sierra Leone endorses Nairobi communiqué on IDA for sustainable growth. We are optimistic that provision for additional resources will support our dream for a climate-smart Africa,” he said.

Other Heads of State and Governments at the event are President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra of Central African Republic, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia and Prime Ministers Abiy Ahmed Ali (Ethiopia), Amadou Oury Barh (Guinea) and Nadir Larbaoui (Algeria).

The leaders called for increased long-term financing for Africa, noting expensive loans have become a burden to the continent, slowing down its development.

The Summit sought to support the replenishment of IDA resources, an institution that “invests in the future of people and planet, with projects across 75 countries,” according to the World Bank.

IDA was established in 1960, and it aims to “reduce poverty by providing grants and zero- to low-interest loans for programmes that boost economic growth, reduce inequalities, and improve people’s living condition.”

The Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board joins the Kenya Defence Forces and the nation at large in mourning the passing of Gen Francis Ogolla, Brig Swale Saidi, Col Duncan Keittany, Lt Col David Sawe, Maj-Gen Benson Magondu, Capt Sora Mohamed, Capt Hillary Litali, Snr Sgt John Kinyua Mureithi, Sgt Cliphonce Omondi and Sgt Rose Nyawira.

The gallant soldiers died on April 18, 2024, in Sindar, Elgeyo Marakwet County in a helicopter crash.

President William Ruto declared three days of national mourning.

Gen Ogola will be buried on Sunday April 21 at his ancestral home in Siaya.