HerDithy

 Urban planning and development are factors contributing to the chaos being created by uneven distribution of resources, including water and sanitation. The issue of solid waste management in the country continues to pose a great threat to sustainable development despite poor urban governance, limited employment, and a dearth of other life enhancing opportunities foe existing and incoming dwellers. This pattern of urban growth has given rise to an increasing urbanization of poverty, with 60% of Nairobi residents living in slums or slum- like conditions characterized by overcrowding, social and economic marginalization, poor housing and environmental conditions, insecurity of life and property, violence and social unrest. The conversation is around two case studies: Mombasa and Nairobi.   Nairobi, a city that accommodates for million people, is a facing a continuous problem of water and sanitation. The normalization of under delivery of public amenities extends its effects ...

  “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second-best time is now. “- unknown Kenya is among the countries with a forest cover of less than 2% of the total land mass. We are also part of the 105 countries that promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. The ecological heritage of trees is Kenya has been pioneered by the GreenBelt Movement activist; Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai. She fought dearly to protect the trees most of us are basking under, but her efforts seem to be fading with the years. Charcoal and timber production, agriculture expansion, unregulated lumbering and urbanization are the common culprits for the aggravating state of tree conservation in Kenya. Did we displace trees or trees displaced us? Human beings are continually finding it problematic to co-exist with nature: finding it necessary to deplete most natural habitats and to ensure their survival. Trees help to clean the air we breathe; filter the water we drink and provide habitat to ov...

The world is covered with 71% of water. Land makes up only 29 percent of that. By 2024, global warming will see Africa facing one of its worst water crises in the century. The rich- poor gap extends to the delivery of basic services such as the supply of water. Water scarcity, rapid urbanization and over-population of towns in Kenya is a continuing crisis with the rate at which the population is rapidly growing. In Kenya, we use water to generate geothermal energy, agricultural usage, human and animal consumption. Most of this water comes from water catchment facilities, but are they adequate to sustain the country in future? From the moment you open that tap, most of us have a rough or no idea where the water comes from or where the water goes. Urban planning ensures that most basic amenities are adequately provided for in order to sustain urban developments. Maji ya Kanjo is a common phrase in the concrete city that most Nairobians use to describe the inconsistent supply of water t...

 A happy Mashujaa Day to you! Climate change will cost Kenyans 7 trillion shillings in the next ten years. That is not so far away, remembering how `close` we are to actualizing the Vision 2030 goals, we have quite the journey ahead of us. Climate change is the result of the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of burning fossil fuels for energy and other human activities. Climate change affects how food is produced, what is consumed and how human beings respond to it. Climate change has led to more frequent extreme weather events like draughts which last longer than usual, irregular and unpredictable rainfall, flooding and increase in temperatures. These have a long-term effect extending to water and food security. Climate change triggered by global warming poses a major threat to agricultural systems globally. This process is characterized by emergence of pests and diseases, extreme weather events such as prolonged draught, high intensi...

Karibu. Nairobi is the 21 st most expensive city in Africa: the most expensive in East Africa. These might be good indicators of a strong economy, but how does it roll down to the financial contribution and power held by Wanjiku? With the constant enhancement of tech and innovation, crops and animals are being modified, cross-bred and genetically modified to feed the consumer needs of the rapidly growing population. Technology advancements have enhanced agricultural contributions to livelihoods. Transporting tomatoes from Ol Kalau has become affordable to the farmer, the broker, Mama mboga, because of working transport networks and government facilitation. Urban farming not only involves the tools of farming, but it also involves new methods of farming, improved quality of seeds and fertilizers. This is to better the quality of food we produce. Science has had a large contribution to agriculture: from identifying edible plants, pests and diseases, breaking down components and thei...

Happy New month! Kenya covers an area of approximately 580,367 square kilometers. If you happen to be a wanderlust, you will agree that this country is quite a spectacle. The physical features, people, and culture are just but a few things that stand out. Though, an estimated two million people are currently facing food shortage and relying on relief.  How so?  According to Vision 2030, it aims at transforming Kenya into “a newly industrializing, middle income country providing a high quality life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment.” Today, we want to see how close we are to cross this bridge in nine years.  Let us talk about food security and the utilization of arid and semi-arid areas in the country. Counties such as Isiolo, Mandera, Kilifi, Tana River, Samburu, Makueni, Laikipia are among the counties that are on the brink of falling into a humanitarian crisis. Not only are these arid and semi-arid areas seasonal and often influenced by climatic fa...

 Welcome, this is HerDithy. Owning land in Kenya is a big deal, ask our folks. There are those who utilize the land by building, farming, and others by selling. Land is largely commercialized due to its appreciating value. Now, what makes land attractive? Geographically, land equals to natural features (trees, rivers, hills), the type of soil, and likely, where your ancestors decided to settle down. How does land relate to the distribution of food, women and governance? When food is on a plate, it has been handled by several people and travelled hundreds of miles to be a final product of consumable nourishment. To facilitate the distribution of food from the far west to Nairobi, for example, proper transport channels are required to ferry agricultural produce from one place to another. The availability of roads, railway lines, pipelines, air and water cargo empower the economy as it reflects the availability of production and capacity of thorough structures. Different regions h...