In the past few months, most of us in Nairobi have been wondering what the locusts and the grasshoppers have been upto in the Urban Centres.
For me, i was alerted to think that their arrival would cause havoc to the splendind harvest that our farmers are having in these unusual rains most of this year.
ICIPE has just confirmed to me, that indeed my thoughts could be right and wrong, and this is actually as a result of the changing climate.
.................
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Insects in Kenyan capital no cause for alarm
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 24 - In December of 2007, swarms of locusts invaded the North Eastern region destroying food crops barely a month after heavy rains had boosted crops and pasture in the region.
The locusts were said to have migrated from Somalia. Now, three years later, an upsurge of grasshoppers in Nairobi has raised concerns that a similar phenomenon could be in the making.
However, a scientist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) has told Capital News that this should not cause alarm.
“They are not locusts but grasshoppers but because they come in large numbers and are seasonal there is the assumption that they are locusts,” Dr Baldwyn Torto, Principle Scientist, Head Behavioural and Chemical Ecology department said.
Dr Torto explained that the difference between grasshoppers and locusts was that a grasshopper is typically harmless while a locust has the ability to transform into a harmful insect.
“When you have a long period of drought and then the rains come in, all the individual harmless locusts have to fly to places where they can find food and if the rains are centered within a certain area, all of them fly there and concentrate,” Dr Torto says.
“When they are together, they rub on each other and this causes a mechanical stimulation which stimulates a change in their color and their behaviour. That’s the way it starts,” he explained.
He said the large emergence of the grasshoppers is due to the change in climate where Kenya experienced rains after a long dry spell but there is no likelihood of the grasshoppers causing any destruction because the climatic condition is not going to favour their survival.
“Insects are such that they just react to conditions. You might get rainfall in some parts of the country which is enough to trigger grasshoppers to begin to mate and lay but when that rain stops suddenly, the eggs continue to remain in the soil for even six months, to hibernate and wait for rain,” he states.
Dr Torto also said that most grasshoppers develop in warm climates so when they are found within Nairobi it should not cause worry because the conditions would not favour their growth.
He added that desertification is a major trigger of locusts and Kenya is likely to suffer periodic infestations of locusts following the 2007 attack because the eggs remain in the fields.
“The problem with Somalia is that it is a dry area and that’s what locusts like and (there is no) real government that can take care of interventions. The intervention is usually better when you deal with the eggs or the young ones because they just hop, they don’t fly,” he said.
“When they become adults, they are able to fly long distances and that’s what happened to Kenya.”
Dr Torto says that grasshoppers and locusts feed on cereals which can impact negatively on food security. He said ICIPE had identified a chemical that is naturally produced by locusts and which can be used to control the early stages.
“It does not kill the locust but it breaks the grouping and the insects become hyperactive and eventually eat each other which is really nice. The chemical is natural and easily available,” he says.
The scientist said there is need for the public to be vigilant so that they inform appropriate authorities of any grasshopper outbreak for necessary interventions to be taken.
“We have technologies like biological control agents (it’s a fungus and specific for grasshoppers) that can be used and they are not harsh to the environment but it’s up to the public to be vigilant and inform the authorities,” he said.
http://kenyauptodate.blogspot.com/2010/06/insects-in-kenyan-capital-no-cause-for.html
The Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) is a network of African youth organizations and individuals working on climate change & sustainable development. Founded in 2006 at the COP 12 – UNFCCC in Nairobi, the movement’s goal is to ensure participation of African Youth in Climate Change debate, identify and seek support for youth driven Climate Change solutions and increase the youth awareness on Climate Change. It is in 31 African countries, this being the Kenya Chapter.
June 25, 2010
June 24, 2010
Sena Alouka, AYICC Founder leads the AYICC Delegation in AMCEN 13th Session: Bamako, Mali
Many of you would like to know how this wonderful movement was founded. Today, i blog Sena Alouka the man behind AYICC since 2006. He dreamt, and gathered young people across Africa to help realize the dream.
He has worked tirelessly for the movement, and even now, when he is just an advisor in the movement, he does more than anyone one else.
He is currently in Bamako, Mali, with a group of young Africans, mostly the French speaking countries, participating and representing the youth agenda to the African Ministers at the 13th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) http://hqweb.unep.org/roa/amcen/Amcen_Events/13th_Session/default.asp
After attending countless meetings with the governments, NGOs and insitutions and the international Community, Sena realized that if young people are never there to present their pesperctives, then no one will.
He has therefore been mobilizing funds over the years to ensure that the Africna youth voice is heard at national, regional and international levels. He was the man behind the African youth representaiton in Copenhagen for the UNFCCC meeting in December 2009.
This week in Mali, the youth representatives have been spending time with the African Ministers, the CSOs and the international Community reprsentatives present, sharing their work, and their views on the AMCEN agenda in 2010.
Read below the Statement read by one the youth representatives to the AMCEN participants. Its a direct French-English translation.
Sena Alouka, discusses the Youth statement with the rest of the African youth representatives in the middle of the night.
STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN YOUTH INITIATIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE (AYICC)
IN THE MARGINS OF THE CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF AFRICA'S ENVIRONMENT (AMCEN)
21 to 25 March 2010, BAMAKO, MALI
Presented by:
M Mawuse Edzromi HOUNTONDJI KODJO
Executive Director
NGO Youth Volunteers for the Environment, Benin
Tel: +229-77294660, email: jvebenin@gmail.com
www.ong-jve.org
Cotonou, Benin
My name Mawuse young Beninese. I do not want to tell the story of my family and what my brothers and I had lived following the recent floods, never before we had known.
But I speak on behalf of young Chad Djim whose dad, a fisherman is now unemployed because of the rapid shrinking of Lake Chad and in its attempt to access the island Lampeduzza seen in his canoe capsized. I speak on behalf of Hope, Ugandan girl whose house has been buried by landslides. I speak on behalf of young Senegalese Doudou Dabo Rufisque whose ancestors buried for decades 'resurrected' because of coastal erosion. I am speaking of Aisha, a young Algerian girl, whose home is now underwater due to floods. I'll stop here because the list may be very long because millions of young people living the same reality in our continent. I am not speaking as a victim, I do not want our stories to tell here but I want to talk reason. I do not want to cry but I want to make you think.
Climate change is already destroying lives of thousands of young Africans like me and cancel the hope of a better life to millions of others. Today it is a matter of life or death, survival of our generation. Actions should not wait.
Therefore, in our statement to the third extraordinary session of AMCEN in Nairobi in May 2009, had proposed the vote of our cousin Trevor Gitonga, 13 years young Kenyan, a firm position of African governments face the challenge climate change in Copenhagen.
Unfortunately, our hopes have been disappointed seen the results of negotiations. However we welcome here and with great pride the work done by our governments through the environment ministers on the issue of climate change has become a key restraint to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and to Copenhagen have spoken of a single voice.
We recognize that you've wanted to do more but you are in front of large inertia, so here we express all our support and our determination to make our modest contribution to solving this problem.
You asked for developed countries making a commitment to ambitious targets - 40% by 2020 and at least -80% by 2050, we agree.
You asked that the issue of adaptation to become a priority in the negotiations, we agree
You have requested that the intellectual property rights are modified to allow access to technology for adaptation and mitigation at a reasonable cost and appropriate, we support you.
You also asked that the financial resources to the tune of 400 billion dollars per annum, are additional and predictable funding for adaptation and mitigation, we also support.
Aware that it is possible to change policy and not change the science,
We young people of Africa require expressly that:
Position in African science is refreshed and strengthened to include an overall objective of keeping temperature increase below 1.5 ° C and carbon dioxide concentrations below 350 ppm.
The Kyoto Protocol could be maintained after 2012 as a binding instrument, with Annex I countries have to reduce their emissions by at least 50% compared to 1990 levels by 2017. We urge the U.S. to join the Kyoto Protocol or at least making comparable efforts under the Convention.
We recommend:
That all African countries to set up a National Adaptation Fund (ANF) to climate change, fueled by domestic financial resources so that our State budgets reflect our aspirations to enhance our adaptive capacity, and engage in development low-carbon economy.
That Adaptation-Based Community (ABC) is placed at the center of the Schedules development in our country to not only reduce our vulnerability but also guarantee the
right of all development.
That all African countries put in place a framework for exchange and discussion so that popular discussions are made on the issue of climate change and that your positions are those of the African people and not that of your experts.
What efforts are consistent provided to implement Article 6 of the Framework for Action in New Delhi on education, awareness and informing the public so that our brothers and sisters have access to information quality enabling them to take suitable action against climate variability.
That the civil society organizations are involved in national discussions on climate change and are incorporated in official delegations to participate in negotiations.
As such, we ask that the final report of this session contains a resolution:
- Recognizing the IJACC (the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change), now the largest youth network on the continent in terms of advocacy and the fight against climate change, the status of official observer 'AMCEN, the CAHOSOCC and the African Union.
- Encouraging each African state to include young people in official delegations to participate in negotiations on the climate.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The solutions to climate change are there, simple, affordable and effective. The world has simply decided to ignore them. We ask you to be vigilant against the promises and delaying magic solutions that scientists who play demigod offer. Capture and carbon storage, modification of ecosystems by engineering technology such as ocean fertilization, biochar, biofuels, Genetic Modified Organisms and the carbon market that deserves you to take a new look as realistic and critical African realities. Clearly, we need energy to run our companies and ensure our development but we must be careful fever trend for large hydroelectric dams and nuclear power.
The African Union, we are the young, we is Africa, Generation 2050, the active and engaged. We as youth must live in a world shaped by your decisions. Therefore, we thank you for having granted us the opportunity to be here and contribute to your trade.
Our survival is not negotiable, we ask you now to give us the opportunity to work hand in and with us, for our common future.
Thank you for your attention!
He has worked tirelessly for the movement, and even now, when he is just an advisor in the movement, he does more than anyone one else.
He is currently in Bamako, Mali, with a group of young Africans, mostly the French speaking countries, participating and representing the youth agenda to the African Ministers at the 13th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) http://hqweb.unep.org/roa/amcen/Amcen_Events/13th_Session/default.asp
After attending countless meetings with the governments, NGOs and insitutions and the international Community, Sena realized that if young people are never there to present their pesperctives, then no one will.
He has therefore been mobilizing funds over the years to ensure that the Africna youth voice is heard at national, regional and international levels. He was the man behind the African youth representaiton in Copenhagen for the UNFCCC meeting in December 2009.
This week in Mali, the youth representatives have been spending time with the African Ministers, the CSOs and the international Community reprsentatives present, sharing their work, and their views on the AMCEN agenda in 2010.
Read below the Statement read by one the youth representatives to the AMCEN participants. Its a direct French-English translation.
Sena Alouka, discusses the Youth statement with the rest of the African youth representatives in the middle of the night.
STATEMENT OF THE AFRICAN YOUTH INITIATIVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE (AYICC)
IN THE MARGINS OF THE CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF AFRICA'S ENVIRONMENT (AMCEN)
21 to 25 March 2010, BAMAKO, MALI
Presented by:
M Mawuse Edzromi HOUNTONDJI KODJO
Executive Director
NGO Youth Volunteers for the Environment, Benin
Tel: +229-77294660, email: jvebenin@gmail.com
www.ong-jve.org
Cotonou, Benin
My name Mawuse young Beninese. I do not want to tell the story of my family and what my brothers and I had lived following the recent floods, never before we had known.
But I speak on behalf of young Chad Djim whose dad, a fisherman is now unemployed because of the rapid shrinking of Lake Chad and in its attempt to access the island Lampeduzza seen in his canoe capsized. I speak on behalf of Hope, Ugandan girl whose house has been buried by landslides. I speak on behalf of young Senegalese Doudou Dabo Rufisque whose ancestors buried for decades 'resurrected' because of coastal erosion. I am speaking of Aisha, a young Algerian girl, whose home is now underwater due to floods. I'll stop here because the list may be very long because millions of young people living the same reality in our continent. I am not speaking as a victim, I do not want our stories to tell here but I want to talk reason. I do not want to cry but I want to make you think.
Climate change is already destroying lives of thousands of young Africans like me and cancel the hope of a better life to millions of others. Today it is a matter of life or death, survival of our generation. Actions should not wait.
Therefore, in our statement to the third extraordinary session of AMCEN in Nairobi in May 2009, had proposed the vote of our cousin Trevor Gitonga, 13 years young Kenyan, a firm position of African governments face the challenge climate change in Copenhagen.
Unfortunately, our hopes have been disappointed seen the results of negotiations. However we welcome here and with great pride the work done by our governments through the environment ministers on the issue of climate change has become a key restraint to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and to Copenhagen have spoken of a single voice.
We recognize that you've wanted to do more but you are in front of large inertia, so here we express all our support and our determination to make our modest contribution to solving this problem.
You asked for developed countries making a commitment to ambitious targets - 40% by 2020 and at least -80% by 2050, we agree.
You asked that the issue of adaptation to become a priority in the negotiations, we agree
You have requested that the intellectual property rights are modified to allow access to technology for adaptation and mitigation at a reasonable cost and appropriate, we support you.
You also asked that the financial resources to the tune of 400 billion dollars per annum, are additional and predictable funding for adaptation and mitigation, we also support.
Aware that it is possible to change policy and not change the science,
We young people of Africa require expressly that:
Position in African science is refreshed and strengthened to include an overall objective of keeping temperature increase below 1.5 ° C and carbon dioxide concentrations below 350 ppm.
The Kyoto Protocol could be maintained after 2012 as a binding instrument, with Annex I countries have to reduce their emissions by at least 50% compared to 1990 levels by 2017. We urge the U.S. to join the Kyoto Protocol or at least making comparable efforts under the Convention.
We recommend:
That all African countries to set up a National Adaptation Fund (ANF) to climate change, fueled by domestic financial resources so that our State budgets reflect our aspirations to enhance our adaptive capacity, and engage in development low-carbon economy.
That Adaptation-Based Community (ABC) is placed at the center of the Schedules development in our country to not only reduce our vulnerability but also guarantee the
right of all development.
That all African countries put in place a framework for exchange and discussion so that popular discussions are made on the issue of climate change and that your positions are those of the African people and not that of your experts.
What efforts are consistent provided to implement Article 6 of the Framework for Action in New Delhi on education, awareness and informing the public so that our brothers and sisters have access to information quality enabling them to take suitable action against climate variability.
That the civil society organizations are involved in national discussions on climate change and are incorporated in official delegations to participate in negotiations.
As such, we ask that the final report of this session contains a resolution:
- Recognizing the IJACC (the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change), now the largest youth network on the continent in terms of advocacy and the fight against climate change, the status of official observer 'AMCEN, the CAHOSOCC and the African Union.
- Encouraging each African state to include young people in official delegations to participate in negotiations on the climate.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The solutions to climate change are there, simple, affordable and effective. The world has simply decided to ignore them. We ask you to be vigilant against the promises and delaying magic solutions that scientists who play demigod offer. Capture and carbon storage, modification of ecosystems by engineering technology such as ocean fertilization, biochar, biofuels, Genetic Modified Organisms and the carbon market that deserves you to take a new look as realistic and critical African realities. Clearly, we need energy to run our companies and ensure our development but we must be careful fever trend for large hydroelectric dams and nuclear power.
The African Union, we are the young, we is Africa, Generation 2050, the active and engaged. We as youth must live in a world shaped by your decisions. Therefore, we thank you for having granted us the opportunity to be here and contribute to your trade.
Our survival is not negotiable, we ask you now to give us the opportunity to work hand in and with us, for our common future.
Thank you for your attention!
June 23, 2010
From one of us: Lawrence Ndambuki at the Global Model United Nations 2010
When i read this story of one of us, Lawrence Ndambuki, i was humbled. I have known him for the past four years, as a young man who believes in dreams coming true, and i can see they are truly coming true in his life.
Today he was at the UN Headquarters in NewYork when he talked about the youth movement here in Kenya, and what we have been doing to change the society and ensure a sustainable world.
The photo above, we were at the New Year Celebrations for AYICC Kenya and i recall at this time, Lawrence was trying to help us dream big of the youth movement in Kenya, and how we could reach out to more young people in Africa.
He is passionate about several things in his life: The Journey, Music, Mission, Youth Empowerment and Leadership, Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
He is a young man who runs for his dream, passionate, committed to his vision, and nothing has ever stopped him.
He is a Diplomat, the one and the only youth whose language i need help understanding.
Read below in Swahili, a component of his interview today with UN Radio. Let it be an inspiration to us of the higher we can go if we decide to dream and run for our dreams.
We are proud of our son!!!!
Mahojiano na Lawrence Ndambuki kuhusu hamasa kwa vijana kulinda mazingira
10/06/2010
Mkutano wa Umoja wa Mataifa wa kuwahamasisha vijana kutoka vyuo vikuu duniani kuhusiana na maswala ya mazingira umefanyika mjini New York.
Eneo la Afrika Mashariki iliwakilishwa na Lawrence Ndambuki mwanafunzi kutoka chuo kikuu cha Kenyatta mjini Nairobi, na alikuja kwenye studio zetu na alianza kwa kumwelezea Abdullahi Boru umuhimu wa mkutano huu wa New york.
June 2, 2010
Kenyan Youth Vegetarian for 6 Months for Climate Change
I just received this message on the AYICC Kenya Mailing list, which was thrilling to me. Whats your small action this year?
..............................
It's now 6 months since the the BROCKEN HAGEN deal blew us. Well to youth, this was a rivitalization for the quest to fight even more harder.
On a personal level, I dedicated my life and sacrificed the delicacy of Kenya, THE NYAMA CHOMA . I have been in vegetarian for the past six months and since it was my target, very soon I am going to walk right inside the choma place to have my first bite in six months. This is going to take place after we shall have celebrated the WED and the WOD on 5th and 8th june respectively.
This is the time I also call upon the entire Kenyan youth to be ready to sacrifice all that they can for the sake of mother nature.
Here is a very resourceful link on vegetarianism v/s global warming.
www.digitaljournal.com/article/281130
www.ivu.org/news/online/climate.htm
hubpages.com/hub/whyvegie
I wish you all a greener fight for the next half of the year.
merci beaucoup tout le monde et bon travaille vert.
--
Founder membder - Green Artistes initiative Network(GAIN)
Art Director- www.gwinitiative.wordpress.com
Member- African youth Initiative on climate change-Kenya
www.omugataya.blogspot.com
+254736740702
skype: prince.papa
circumstances never make a man but reveals his true self.
..............................
It's now 6 months since the the BROCKEN HAGEN deal blew us. Well to youth, this was a rivitalization for the quest to fight even more harder.
On a personal level, I dedicated my life and sacrificed the delicacy of Kenya, THE NYAMA CHOMA . I have been in vegetarian for the past six months and since it was my target, very soon I am going to walk right inside the choma place to have my first bite in six months. This is going to take place after we shall have celebrated the WED and the WOD on 5th and 8th june respectively.
This is the time I also call upon the entire Kenyan youth to be ready to sacrifice all that they can for the sake of mother nature.
Here is a very resourceful link on vegetarianism v/s global warming.
www.digitaljournal.com/article/281130
www.ivu.org/news/online/climate.htm
hubpages.com/hub/whyvegie
I wish you all a greener fight for the next half of the year.
merci beaucoup tout le monde et bon travaille vert.
--
Founder membder - Green Artistes initiative Network(GAIN)
Art Director- www.gwinitiative.wordpress.com
Member- African youth Initiative on climate change-Kenya
www.omugataya.blogspot.com
+254736740702
skype: prince.papa
circumstances never make a man but reveals his true self.
REPORT ON THE ENERGY STRATEGY APPROACH PAPER OF THE WORLD BANK GROUP MEETING 21ST MAY 2010
OBJECTIVES
The paper identified two key objectives which will form the basis for the strategy viz:
I. Improving the operational and financial performance of the energy sector
II. Strengthening governance to improve the contribution of energy to equitable economic development.
SUPPORTING PILLARS
The World Bank group also identified two supporting pillars which must be emphasized upon if the energy strategy is to work. The two are:
I. Improving the operational and financial performance of the energy sector
II. Strengthening governance to improve the contribution of energy to equitable economic development.
The six key areas discussed included:
1. Where do you think the help of the World Bank Group in the energy sector in developing countries is most needed?
2. Does the proposed approach adequately address the needs of the poor and the marginalized? If not, how could it be strengthened?
3. Does the proposed approach strike the right balance between meeting the needs and priorities of low-income countries and those of middle-income countries?
4. Where there are trade-offs between meeting the local energy needs of individual countries and reducing global Green House gas emissions , what principles should the World Bank Group follow in resolving the trade-offs?
5. What should be the role of the World Bank Group in promoting new technology and/or helping to transfer existing technologies to new markets and how much weight should the Bank Group give to each?
6. What other suggestions or comments do you have?
For suggestions and comments check out : http://www.worldbank.org/energyconsultations
OBJECTIVES
The paper identified two key objectives which will form the basis for the strategy viz:
I. Improving the operational and financial performance of the energy sector
II. Strengthening governance to improve the contribution of energy to equitable economic development.
SUPPORTING PILLARS
The World Bank group also identified two supporting pillars which must be emphasized upon if the energy strategy is to work. The two are:
I. Improving the operational and financial performance of the energy sector
II. Strengthening governance to improve the contribution of energy to equitable economic development.
The six key areas discussed included:
1. Where do you think the help of the World Bank Group in the energy sector in developing countries is most needed?
2. Does the proposed approach adequately address the needs of the poor and the marginalized? If not, how could it be strengthened?
3. Does the proposed approach strike the right balance between meeting the needs and priorities of low-income countries and those of middle-income countries?
4. Where there are trade-offs between meeting the local energy needs of individual countries and reducing global Green House gas emissions , what principles should the World Bank Group follow in resolving the trade-offs?
5. What should be the role of the World Bank Group in promoting new technology and/or helping to transfer existing technologies to new markets and how much weight should the Bank Group give to each?
6. What other suggestions or comments do you have?
For suggestions and comments check out : http://www.worldbank.org/energyconsultations
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