kephis newsletter sep-aug 2011

8/3/2019 Kephis Newsletter Sep-Aug 2011

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September 2011 - November 2011 ISO 9001:2008 Certified

A Publication of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)

Protecting Kenyas Agriculture

It is with great pleasure that welaunch The Planter, the ocialKenya Plant Health Inspectorate

Service (KEPHIS) quarterly news

and events newsletter whose main

aim will be to inorm, educate andenlighten our stakeholders about

the mandate o the organization

through the various events and

activities that occur regularly in

the organization. KEPHIS has the mandate o protecting

Kenyas agriculture rom pests, diseases and contaminants

that could negatively impact on productivity, human health

and the environment. All our events and activities are all

geared towards achieving our goal and mandate and these

will be highlighted in the newsletter. We hope that as a

result our stakeholders will better understand and engage

with us.

Communication is key to any organization; it is the way in

which our stakeholders know and understand what we do as

an organization. It is thereore our hope that this newsletter

will be a orum or interaction,

engagement, sharing o opinions

and eedback that will shape

the perceptions o the Kenyan

public and our stakeholders about

what we do as an organization.Ultimately, our aim as KEPHIS is to

serve you better. This newsletter

will enhance dissemination o

inormation to our stakeholders in order to make them

inormed and better understand our mandate so that they

can benet rom our services to enhance productivity, trade and

protection o Kenyas agriculture.

We value your eedback and so we encourage you, our

stakeholders to get in touch with us through this newsletter

as we orge ahead to ensure that ood suciency andenhanced trade is a reality or every Kenyan. TP

James M. Onsando, Ph.DManaging Director

NAIROBI - The National Seed Policy was launched at KEPHIS

headquarters on July 19th, 2011, with keynote speakers urgingscientists to educate the Kenyan public on the benets o bio-technology. Speaking when he also made public New Plant

Varieties into the Kenyan market, Assistant Minister or Agriculture,Hon. Gideon Ndambuki also urged scientists and players in theagricultural sector to embrace regional integration that is astbecoming a reality even in the Agricultural sector. The government,he said, was prioritizing the production o seed through irrigationso that availability is not compromised by unreliable weatherpatterns like has been experienced in recent years.

The National Seed Policy is intended to guide the agricultureindustry in the production, distribution and utilization o highquality seed or improved productivity. It will alsoprovide guidelines on the regulation o the seed industryand will orm a basis or review o Acts that direct seedtrade in Kenya. Stakeholders in the seed industry present

Agriculture Assistant Minister Gideon Ndambuki

when he ocially launched the National Seed Policy.

He is fanked by Dr. Kiome (let) and Dr. Onsando

(right)

DECISIVE MOMENT AS NATIONAL SEED POLICY IS LAUNCHED

From the Managing Director


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September 2011-November 2011 ISO 9001: 2008 Certifed


at the unction included Kenya Seed Company, Western Seed, Pioneer and the SeedTrade Association o Kenya (STAK).

Dr. Romano Kiome, Permanent Secretary Ministry o Agriculture acknowledgedthe role o seed stakeholders in the development o the Policy and noted how upto 1997 only Kenya Seed Company could produce seed in Kenya. Currently thereare 85 registered seed companies in the country. The liberalization o the Kenyaneconomy had thereore necessitated the development o the Policy to keep pace

with the current economic pace. Dr. Kiome also called or collaboration between thegovernment and the private sector to enhance seed availability to armers. We urgeall stakeholders to work with the government so that armers have adequate seed topromote agricultural production and security in the country, he stated.

Dr. Wilson Songa, the Agriculture Secretary noted that the Policy will address theproblem o insucient certied material and adulterated seed in the market. Thispolicy means that KEPHIS now has teeth to do its crucial work, he said. The policywill also provide a mechanism or harmonizing regional seed policies and regulationsto enhance cross border trade in seed.KEPHIS Managing Director, Dr. James Onsando noted that the policy providesauthorization o private entities to undertake some o the seed quality controlactivities that KEPHIS currently does but this will be done under KEPHIS supervision.The result is improved eectiveness and eciency in the seed production chain.

The policy will also allow Kenya accede to the Union o Protection o New Varietieso Plants(UPOV) 1991 convention which recognizes armers rights to utilize protectedvarieties or subsistence use and continue acilitating Kenyas access to superiororeign plant germplasm especially in horticulture.

Dr Onsando noted that the policy also strengthens KEPHIS to be vigilant and ensurethat armers are availed good quality seed and also to enorce truthul labeling o

seed products.

The 59 new plant varieties released were 27 varieties o maize, 7 varieties o rice, 6varieties o sunfower, 4 varieties o sweet potatoes, 3 varieties each o cassava, irish

potatoes and coee and 2 varieties each o chick peas, kales and soya bean.TP

Dr. Romano Kiome, PS Ministry of Agriculture (Left), Hon. Gideon Ndambuki AssistantMinisterforAgriculture,Dr.JamesOnsando,MDKEPHISandDr.WilsonSonga, AgricultureSecretarydisplaythenewlylaunchedNationalSeedPolicy

The Planter is published

quarterly by the Kenya Plant Health

Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)

Head Ofce

Oloolua Ridge, Karen

PO Box 49592-00100 Nairobi

Telephone: +254 20 3597201/2/3/

3536171/2

Cell: 0722 516221 | 0723 786779 |

0733874274 | 0734874141

Fax: +254 20 3536175

Email: [email protected]

[email protected]

www.kephis.org

Managing Director

James M. Onsando, Ph.D

Editorial

Catherine Muraguri

Contributors

James Wahome

Nassir O. Rajab

Philip NjorogeJoseph Kigamwa

Alayo Ombuya

Daniel Mureithi

Ephraim Wachira

Thomas Kimeli Kosiom

Design and Production

Ramco Printing Works LTD

Unit 1, Dunga Close,

Industrial Area NAIROBI

Credits


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KEPHIS NAIVASHA:BRINGING OUR SERVICES CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE

KEPHIS Nakuru recently organized the Pasture SeedGrowers Training whose aim was to enlightenarmers on the availability o arid pasture varieties andthe possibility o producing certied seeds out o thesevarieties. The expected result is higher quality pastureor cattle in the Arid and Semi Arid Lands.

Eighty-two armers attended-67 male and 15women-rom Kampi Samaki, Salabani, Loboi,Kapkuikui, Kampi Kulima, Mtoisori, Eldume

and Marigat. Stakeholders included the ministries oLivestock and Agriculture, the National Irrigation Board,KARI Perkerra and a local NGO Rehabilitation o AridEnvironments Trust (RAE) which has been involved inimproving livestock production in the area or over 20years. Areas such as Marigat are classied as rangelands,characterized by long dry seasons o between 7-9 months,and are home to the poorest segment o populationswho are oten marginalized rom mainstream economicactivities.

KEPHIS Trains Pasture Seed Growers at Marigat

By Alayo Ombuya and Daniel Mureithi

Naivasha is commonly reerredto as the fower hub o Kenya.The town is the home o Lake

Naivasha, a resh water lake, whichbesides being a tourist attractionis the cornerstone behind thefourishing horticulture industry inthe town. It is estimated that 50%o all horticultural exports in Kenyaoriginate rom Naivasha. There areabout eighty arms in this town,

majority grow cut fowers while therest are nurseries, breeder acilitiesand vegetable growers.

One o the challenges acing thesearmers is compliance to the strictand dynamic export requirements.This essentially means that fowerexports have to comply withphytosanitary and quality standardsbeore they can gain entry into theimporting country and secure shelspace at consumer outlets. It isrom this background that KEPHISopened an oce in April 2008 towork with producers o horticulturalproduce to assist them towardsmeeting these requirements.

To achieve the above, KEPHISNaivasha oce oers the ollowingservices:

Inspecting nursery acilitiesin line with various marketrequirements.

Inspection and approval oprovisional plant quarantineacilities situated in Naivasha.

Inspecting resh produce such

as cut fowers and vegetablesbeore export.

Auditing crop protection andquality controls system.

Issuance o phytosanitarycerticates and plant importpermits .

Building capacity orstakeholders through orums

such as shows and eld days.The oce also conducts seed postcertication surveys and approval onew seed sellers premises across thelarger Naivasha, Nyandarua districtsand some sections o Narok district.

The oce is working on a growthstrategy aimed at ofoading workdone at the JKIA inspection unit.In the long run, it is aimed thatall arms (especially exporters)and clients around Lake Naivashawill nalize the necessary logisticsat the oce beore shipping. Theoce is located at Naivasha town,Maryland complex, along MbariaKaniu road opposite the Naivasha

open air market. TP

As rainall becomes more unreliable and unpredictable, KEPHIS Nakuru is engaging armers on the availability o AridPasture Varieties to improve on their livelihoods. Ephraim Wachira, a KEPHIS inspector in Nakuru reports.

An inspector sensitizing the

public during a mini feld day.


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Farmers were advised on pasturevarieties that thrive in the harshASAL areas: Cenchrus ciliaris,Enteropogon macrostachus, Elagrostissuperb, Cympogon spp. and Themendatriandra. KARI advised they areworking on the varieties to gaugetheir potential as pasture grasses.

The Ministry o Livestock conrmedthat in conjunction with RAE Trustthey had introduced Cenchruscirialis to livestock armers in thearea. RAEs Robert OMurray saidthat his NGO has recruited over700 inormal seed growers or thevariety. He stressed that there isalready a high demand or ASALpasture varieties seeds in all ASALareas in the country and beyond.

However, unregulated trade o seedvarieties will jeopardize the qualityo seed. I request KEPHIS to stepin and rmly control the trade, heemphasized.

Mr. Jacob Cheptaiwa, the RegionalManager KEPHIS Nakuru conrmedthat the organization is alreadytesting one o the varieties orocial release upon which KEPHISwill be able to ully regulate thegrowth, processing and marketingo the varieties. KEPHIS inspectorsat the orum adviced armers on thebenets o using certied seeds orthe establishment o pasture elds.They also explained the process opasture seed certication and the

related costs. TP

KEPHIS MOMBASA: THE HISTORY OF INSPECTIONS ATKILINDINI PORT

Kilindini Harbour, a large, natural deep-water inlet

extending inland rom Mombasa is the entry point orKenyas second largest city, with a hinterland extendingto Uganda and Sudan. Kilindini, Swahili or deep isso called because the channel is naturally very deep,the result o a natural geographic phenomenon ormedmillions o years ago when the sea level rose and

enguled a river that was fowing rom the mainland.

Inspection o agricultural produce dates back to colonial

times when the Chie Grader and Inspector were chargedwith grading and inspecting agricultural exports andimports under the Department o Agriculture, Kilindini.The Chie Grader and Inspector were responsible oroverseeing the use o Cool Stores, premises or storingagricultural and animal products prior to export. These

included butter, meat, ruits, vegetables, sh, eggs and

poultry which attracted charges paid to the Chie Graderand Inspector. They also had the right to inspect andreuse entry o produce into the Cool Stores i such werelikely to damage or contaminate other produce as wellas destroying, selling or disposing o it without reerenceto the owner or agent. In 1936 the Chie Grader wasurther mandated by law to give priority to wheat andmaize over beans as the Bean Beetle was a threat tothe export market. The Chie Grader urther wasresponsible or collection o charges on behal o KenyaUganda Railways in regard to haulage and handling oagricultural produce. Later, the responsibilities o theChie Grader and Inspector became more specic toplants and plant products and ship inspection.

When KEPHIS was established in 1997, mandated withthe inspection o plants and plant products, KEPHISMombasa became one o the regions in the organization.In 1998, KEPHIS took over the inspection o importsand exports headed by a Regional Manager. Since theinception o KEPHIS up to the 10th anniversary, importswere monitored through a One Stop Centre o the KenyaPorts Authority (KPA), Kilindini where all stakeholders

were stationed. However, due to the move to decongestthe work load at KPA Kilindini several Container FreightStations (CFSs) were allowed to clear the imports.This became more complex or the regionsinadequate technical capacity to man allthe CFSs. The region has continued to adapt

Mombasa, Kenyas 2nd largest city boasts o the Kilindini Harbour, a key entry and exit point and ocal area or inspectiono plants and plant materials. KEPHIS inspector, Thomas Kimeli Kosiom gives a brie genesis o inspection operations atthe harbour rom colonial times till today.


Areas such as Marigat are

classifed as rangelands,characterized by long dry

seasons o between 7-9months, and are hometo the poorest segmento populations who are

oten marginalized rommainstream economic

activities.


6/8Protecting Kenyas Agriculture

to these changes to oer the best services to clientsand protect Kenyas agriculture through monitoring,sensitization and training o stakeholders.

Inspecting produce in a ship is exciting and risky. Aship can carry more than 45,000 metric tonnes o bulkcereals! Imagine this object with all its contents justfoating on water! A bulk cargo ship is divided intocompartments called hatches, numbering rom three

to seven depending on the size o the ship. Each hatchcarries a portion o the bulk cereal. Inspection o theproduce requires taking great care in terms o health

and saety. Extra care should also be observed whenclimbing down the ladder, crossing moving parts andobserving warning signs. When cargo is partially ull,a sampler uses a manhole - an opening to access thelower part o the hatch - to climb down and takesamples. Upon satisactory document verication obulk imports, all produce is checked or pests, tness orhuman consumption i its ood imports, and samplesare taken or moisture tests and afatoxin tests or all

cereals. Other tests may be carried out depending on thelevel o risk. TP

A KEPHIS inspector andsampler carrying out produceinspection in a ship atBerth No. 3, Kilindini Port,Mombasa.

KEPHIS OPENS AN OFFICE AT BURA, TANA RIVER COUNTYKEPHIS has opened a new oce in Bura to provide inspection services to armers growing seeds in both Bura and HolaIrrigation Schemes. Over 500 hectares are under seed production in both schemes. The Kenya Government has a newpolicy o intensiying arming under irrigation and in line with this, the KEPHIS management decided to open a satellite oceto oversee inspection services. It is expected that more acreage will come under irrigation. Previously, inspection work wasundertaken rom the Mombasa regional oce, located 300 kilometres away rom the two schemes. This oten led to delaysand aected services to armers.

The decision to open an oce was well received with managers in both schemes praising the move and concurring that it waslong overdue.

Seed crops currently being grown include maize, cowpeas and cotton with more varieties expected in the uture.

The ocial opening will be communicated at a later date.

By James WahomeRegional Manager, Mombasa



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Quality Assurance:Your role in planning, monitoring andmeasurement By Nassir O. RajabCo-ordinator Monitoring and Evaluation

Quality Assurance issues date back to the early

1920s. These have evolved through the various

rameworks o quality management, rominspection processes to Total Quality Management

including applications such as 6 Sigma, Kaizen and

various Quality Management System (QMS) applications

as is currently.

Since 2003 Perormance Management has become the

buzz word in the Kenyan Government. Institutions and

individual employees are being tasked to account or

their time and resources. It is not just enough to attain

results. It is now imperative that we are able to show that

we attained the results in the most ecient manner and

can consistently attain either similar or better results ina sustained ashion. KEPHIS has been at the oreront in

implementing a number o initiatives aimed at ensuring

ecient use o resources and customer satisaction. The

result has been meeting the institutions perormance

contracting obligations.

The ISO 9001:2008 QMS is an example o a system

designed to inculcate a systematic approach to achieving

results through identication o key processes and

making them work in harmony as a system. Within thesystem are perormance management tools including

the Perormance Contracting System, the KEPHIS Work

Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Tool, the Customer

Satisaction and Complaints Tool and the Service Charter

Timelines Achievement Monitoring Tool. However any

successul implementation o the QMS and its inherent

tools o Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation requirea holistic approach; every sta member should realise

that they not only have a role in implementing their

traditional core duties, they also have a role in planning,

monitoring and measurement o the organisations

activities.

Attitude depends on the goodwill that we are ready to

aord this system- are we willing to take time to learn

more and understand what QMS is all about? This is

because a better inormed sta member will nd it easierto inculcate system requirements in daily work processes,

thereby participating more comortably in shaping and

rening the system through constructive ideas. A poorly

inormed group will nd it dicult to embrace quality

management systems and the inherent tools that touch

on planning, monitoring, and measurement, leading to

rustration and complaints.

Attitude also depends on whether you know your role

in moving the various systems orward. It has been saidthat a chain is as strong as its weakest link. For example

do you easily provide your monthly perormance data

to your departmental Monitoring and Evaluation Ocer

or timely compilation? Are you aware o the Standard

Operating Procedures required in your section? Do you

use them? Are you aware that we have a new work

plan in the new nancial year? What is your role in

implementing activities in the new work plan?

Attitude also depends on your ability to infuence positiveenergy in terms o implementation o the various tools

amongst colleagues. It is important that we point out

mistakes whenever they occur and pre-empt any other

likely mishaps. The ISO 9001:2008 QMS gives us an

opportunity to point out issues in a systematic way. For

example, when was the last time you lled in a Preventive

Action Form or a Document Change Application Form?

The era o accountability is here-to stay. Tools including

the ISO standards, inculcating perormance management

measures will continue to play a core role in our jobs.

The challenge is how best to embrace them and

make them help us to make work easier. TP



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KEPHIS CSR: Service to our communitiesKisumu As part o its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), KEPHIS donated Sh. 100,000 worth o tools and

equipment to the Joyland School o the Physically Handicapped in Kisumu. The equipment will benet the tailoring

and cookery workshops where students are taught subjects to make them sel reliant on completion o their studies.

KEPHIS General Manager, Support Operations, Mr. Stephen Ithili, who represented the Managing Director, Dr. James

Onsando, emphasized the governments position that state corporations allocate some o their unds to CSR. Headded that education is one o the cornerstones o building a country and children build a country. The event

was graced by the District Ocer in charge o Kisumu East District, Ms. Lilian Kitubo who represented Mr. Mokaya

Mabeya, the Senior District Commissioner o the district. She stressed the importance o those with disabilities

visiting government oces to nd out how government can assist them. People with disabilities get cash transers,

grants and you will also benet rom government support i you orm groups, she emphasized. TP

The inaugural Centre or Phytosanitary Excellence

(COPE) courses started on 4th July 2011 at KEPHIS

Headquarters, with students being urged to

strengthen the agricultural sector through practical

application o the subjects taught. The two week courseon application o phytosanitary measures, the rst in

a series to be taught during the year, aimed to build

capacity or plant pathologists, plant health inspectors,

agriculture consultants, agricultural science experts and

agricultural science graduates. The students were drawn

rom the Horticultural Crops Development Authority,

Moi University, KEL Horticultural Exporters, Anirack

Limited and KEPHIS.

The courses dwelt on Relevant International Treaties,Standard Setting Procedures, Phytosanitary Systems

Evaluation (PCE) or Implementation o Selected

Standards, Import Regulations, PRA & PRA

tools, Non-compliance and Market Access,

Private Standards, International and Regional

Support or Phytosanitary Capacity Building, Bio-security

and Invasive Alien Species and Important Phytosanitary/

Trade Issues in the region. Lecturers were drawn rom

KEPHIS, the University o Nairobi, UNIDO, and USAID-

KHCP.

The next course is scheduled rom 5th to 30th

September where COPE and USAID-COMPETE have

partnered to ensure bottlenecks linked to phytosanitary

and quarantine issues on regional trade are addressed

through training on Capacity building on phytosanitary

skills or increased regional trade. This course is

designed or sta rom the National Plant Protection

Organizations (NPPOs), relevant Ministry o Agriculture,

relevant National Bureau o Standard Bodies andrelevant trade associations in Eastern Arica, resulting

in eective internal certication o plant materials,

export certication and import verication. Twenty ve

participants are expected to attend. TP

Gertrude and Irene, students at the

school were some o the beneciaries

o the tools and equipment rom

KEPHIS.

Sewing machines, suurias, knives and

blenders were some o the equipment

donated to the school.

Mr. Stephen Ithili, GM Support Operationsat KEPHIS, (2nd Let),Ms Lilian Kitubo, (3rd

Let) District Ocer, Kisumu East Districtand Mr. Francis Furaha, Ocer in ChargeKEPHIS Kisumu, (4th Let) donate tools

and equipment to Joyland School or thePhysically Handicapped. They are surroundedby students o the school.

By Joseph KigamwaCOPE LAUNCHES PHYTOSANITARY COURSES

kephis newsletter sep-aug 2011

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