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| Agriculture and Livestock
Agriculture is the backbone of Kangema’s economy. Over the years farmers have heavily relied on Coffee and Tea as the main cash crops. Despite 87% of land being agriculturally productive, over the years the individual farms have become smaller and smaller as a result of being sub-divided through many generations hence making large scale farming a rare phenomenon in the constituency.
Land ownership in Kangema is on Freehold system with the older generation controlling the access and use of it.
Challenges
- Poor farming methods
- Small land sizes
- Expensive farm inputs
- Land ownership is by old men
- Unreliable weather conditions
- Lack of certified seeds
- Unreliable and sometimes unavailable markets
- Prices of produce determined by middlemen
- Expensive AI services
- Poor infrastructure such as roads, electricity, ICT services etc
- Inadequate extension services
- High dependency on one cash crop i.e. either tea or coffee
- Negative attitude towards agriculture
- Change of climatic conditions
- Absence of processing industries in the constituency
- Rural-Urban migration
- Collapse of community cattle dips
- The collapse of the cooperative movement
Interventions
- Adoption of modern farming methods
- Land amalgamation, change of land policies
- Zero-rating of farm inputs by the government
- Transfer land to young farmers or change land ownership policies
- Introduce irrigation
- Provision of certified and high quality seeds
- Source for alternative markets
- Farmers to access the market directly through organized cooperatives societies
- Government to provide cheap and quality AI and other veterinary services
- Road networks be improved
- Recruitment of more extension officers.
- Revive the cooperative movements to make loans cheaply available and accessible to farmers
- Diversify in cash crop farming
Results
- Improved agricultural production
- High quality produce
- More employment opportunities
- Increased household income and eventually the living standards
Environment
The current consumption patterns and increasing pollution levels in the developing countries threaten global environmental sustainability.
Over the years Kangema has experienced a massive destruction of indigenous trees and the growth of many exotic trees, which are more hazardous to the fertile soils of Kangema and water catchments areas. There is need to emphasis on efforts to conserve the soil and water catchments areas if environmental sustainability is to be achieved. The obvious absence of proper drainage and sewer systems is a looming environmental hazard in the constituency.
Challenges
- Soil erosion
- Deforestation
- Poor waste management
- Lack of disposal site
- Poor drainage system
- Lack of sewerage system
- Environmental pollution from factories and education institutions
- Lack of awareness and in some cases ignorance on the importance of environment conservation
Interventions
- Construction of gabions
- Re-afforestation programs
- Enhanced waste management
- Set a side land for a dumping site
- Improve drainage system
- Put in place an effective sewerage system.
Results
- Improved forest cover
- Green and clean environment
- Improved soil fertility
- Increase life expectancy
- Reduce the common outbreak of diseases related to pollution
Water
“Much of the world lives without access to clean water. Privatization of water resources, promoted as a means to bring business efficiency into water service management, has instead led to reduced access for the poor around the world as prices for these essential services have risen,” Anup Shah (Water and Development). This is a true reflection of Kangema where only 25.17% have access to clean piped water supply. Due to the high connections costs many people are yet to enjoy clean water in their homes hence the need to urgently address this issue.
Challenges
- Women and children have to walk long distances in search of water hence wasting a lot of time and energy that could be channelled elsewhere
- Dangers of disease outbreaks
- Use of poor quality materials in constructing water supply pipes
- Limited water supply limits the agricultural activities in the area
- Absence of proper water storage facilities
- Deforestation which has greatly affected water catchments
- High cost of installation of pipes to homes and those crossing roads
Interventions
- Kahuti Water Company to cater for road crossing expenses
- The company to provide the main pipe lines through CDF
- The government to assist in installation of pipes/water along feeder roads
- Make water installation costs be paid in 2 installments or better still the cost be reduced
- Ensure that materials used for construction of the water supply pipes are good quality
- Educate the community on the importance of environmental conservation
Results
- The community will enjoy clean piped water
- Save time used to search for water
- Minimise the possibility of outbreaks of water borne diseases
- Improved agricultural activities
- Protection of water catchments areas
Security
To attract investors and encourage growth of economic activities, peace must prevail in the area. The crime rate in Kangema has been on the rise with illegal sects mushrooming all over the constituency. For Kangema’s economy to grow, local investors must feel safe to carry out their businesses hence the need to lay emphasis on Security matters.
Challenges
- Increased crime rates
- Increased abuse of drugs and alcohol
- Incidences of insecurity that discourage both local and external investors
- Absence of Police posts or administration police lines in some areas makes it very difficult for the community to report crime on time
- Few security personnel in the existing police posts
- Inadequate housing for security personnel
- Poor community policing
- Increased family disputes
- Corruption
Intervention
- Construct more Police posts or administration police lines in key areas and have the government provide adequate personnel
- Encourage community policing
- Provision of better and practical modes of transport for the police e.g. Motorbikes that can access places where roads are poor or non existent
- Construct adequate housing for security personnel
- Ensure that the security personnel adhere to their code of ethics
Results
- Peace and stability in the constituency
- Businesses and other economic activities will thrive
CROSS CUTTING ISSUES
Youth
The reality in Kangema constituency is that the youth have often been excluded and isolated from key decision making processes affecting their lives. They lack proper technical skills and capital to start or even manage viable business enterprises leaving most of them vulnerable to crime, immorality, idleness and anti-social behaviour such as drug & alcohol abuse. The youth do not own land and resources and are mostly dependent on their family land, which is not adequate to meet their needs.
Challenges
- Marginalization of youth especially in decision making processes
- Notable apathy among the youth
- Underutilization of youth as a resource especially in the labour force
- Increased abuse of drugs, alcohol and other harmful substances
- Unemployment
- Despite the recently introduced Government Youth Fund , the loans facilities are still inaccessible to the youth
- Most young people lack the necessary knowledge, skills or generally the awareness to change their pitiable situation
- Involvement in outlawed sects
- Early marriages for the girls
- HIV& AIDS
- High drop out rate from school
- Disunity among the youth
- Lack of ICT infrastructure
- Inhibitive cultural norms such as in land ownership
- Polytechnics lack modern facilities hence the youth trained in such institutions cannot cope with the modern technologies in the market
- Underdeveloped Jua Kali industry
Interventions
- To deliberately involve the youth in policy formulation
- Ensure that the youth in leadership positions utilize their position to make a difference for those that they represent.
- Encourage youth to not only attend key decision making meetings but also participate and make significant contributions in such meetings
- Create community recreation facilities such proper sports grounds and social halls for the youth so that they can realize and develop their talents
- Encourage the formation of self help groups involved in Income Generating activities e.g. hatcheries, bee keeping, basketry, fisheries, horticulture etc
- Relax the prohibitive rules and regulations imposed on loans sponsored by the Government youth fund
- Provision of electricity to town centres for the growth of the jua kali sector
- Hold regular workshops, seminars and campaigns that empower the youth on essential skills that will help them become self employed and make positive contributions to the community
- Creation of rehabilitation centres
- Set aside land for the youth to set up businesses
Results
- Reduction of crime rates
- Increased job opportunities
- Reduction of rural-urban migration
- Increased productivity
- Growth of local industries
- Change in behaviour
- Reduced family feuds
- An empowered future generation hence sustainability
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