Renewable energy is the antidote to global warming crisis

It’s worth noting that with modern practices and technology, returns in agriculture in some industries or sections are fairly good.

We therefore have to look at the sustainability of profitable and decent agriculture in the country in view of challenges of climate change, costs of production and the shrinking space for the practice. Land available for family or households involved in agriculture is increasingly getting smaller due to subdivision, which is driven by needs of employment, settlement and basically survival besides cultural issues.

The writer is a political, economic and social analyst and commentator.

hm.ikunda@gmail.com

Harrison Mwirigi Ikunda

@hikunda

Harrison Ikunda

I have done and still do a lot of research on agriculture as I have an interest in it as a small scale investor hoping to grow big. I have seen many retired Kenyans venture into agriculture, an implication that agriculture plays a vital role in income generation.

Returns in agriculture on average for employees or investors may be relatively lower compared to some other sectors such as manufacturing, finance, technology and tourism but it is a vital cog in the Kenyan economy.

Rain fed agriculture has also become unsustainable especially with issues of climate change affecting the world. Other challenges are lack of adequate agricultural field extension services and poor knowledge of animal genetics, development and their acquisition or lack of it for better production among farmers.

These are some of the challenges that make farming challenging yet we still need agriculture as a whole to survive in the country.

As a result of this, the government should endeavour to sort out the economic problems being experienced in this country. It is very shameful that we still import huge volumes of agricultural produce which we can produce locally.

We have to eliminate barriers or inhibitors that make production of some of the agricultural produce here uncompetitive vis-à-vis imports. The ball is in the court of the government.

Economically speaking, something in abundance is cheaper than that in limited supply. This synonymously describes fossil fuel in most countries around the globe.

Charcoal is commonly used in cooking both in urban and rural settings because of its economic benefit. Despite being a contributor to the global energy mix, charcoal releases a lot of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, causing global warming.

The felling of trees to produce wood fuel has brought about desertification in some areas and affected the air quality as well as water catchments.

As a result of the relatively low cost of charcoal, its availability and suitability as well as people’s over reliance on non-renewable energy, the uptake of renewable energy in some countries has become a dream. Increasing populations in developing countries has led to increased energy demand, hence the emerging energy crises.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has for years highlighted the link between the changing environment and epidemic diseases. According to a recent letter published by Lancet, the leading scientists reported that climate change is to blame for the emergence of Covid-19. Human behaviour has had harmful impacts on our environment, bringing about stressful economic and health times around the globe. Lives have been lost, many have been displaced and vital ecosystems and wildlife as well as the economy have been destroyed by climate change.

Sadly, the marginalized communities suffer the most because of their dependence on cheap energy, which affects their health.

Many countries are working round the clock to finally put an end to the energy and climate change crisis being faced.

Cape Cod Canal in the US is working on harnessing the tides to generate energy. According to the CEO of Littoral Power Systems Inc., the tidal turbines that can provide electricity for decades to come is well-poised to take off and could mark the start of another renewable energy in the world.

In Kenya, activists from Green- peace Africa took to court the initiative to implement the Lamu Coal Plant and won the case. Such efforts are to be imitated around the globe to help nations survive this scourge.

The human race has wasted decades arguing whether or not global warming and climate change is real rather than defusing the threat as appropriate.

Instead of launching transition to renewable energy, the consumption of fossil fuel increased.

It is not too late though. It is time, beyond urgency, for people from various economic backgrounds across the world alike to quit fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy and other climate resilient practices.

It is eminent that our future is at the mercy of the very energy sources we are using. Instead of going on chasing the wild goose, countries should let go and invest more on the renewable energy industry to save the world.

Kenya is on its way to ensure the renewable energy sector is not news across the nation. Solar energy, though not adopted in most parts, has been embraced by many, especially those in rural areas. This move is promising as the public at large is aware of their environment and acts appropriately to ensure the future is secure.

It is also economically friendly as it saves on the costs that would otherwise be used in reviving the degraded environment. Despite the high initial cost of setting up renewable energy, technical bits, market availability and socio-cultural beliefs among many others, many countries are succeeding in the uptake of renewable energy. If they are, then we too should.

The writer is the Programmes, Advocacy and Fundraising officer Kenya Motors Repairs Association (KEMRA).

Why is blatant incompetence allowed to ruin our water supplies?

Yet now there is no telling when taps can be restored to life as residents continue buying water from bowsers and donkey carts, never minding the dangers posed as you simply cannot know the source. It is chilling to think of the consequences of an outbreak.

This situation, drought notwithstanding, could have been fairly managed had Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage Company Limited (OWSC) found it prudent to discharge its mandate nobly and with due concern for welfare of residents.

Being the company with the duty and obligation to supply clean water, they ought to know that their failure is not an act of God as they are quick to blame the drought. There is much more to it.

At the moment the company is struggling with a wage bill that is far above the Ksh8 million it collects a month. The management put them in this hole by employing more workers, which cannot be rationalized as there was nothing to justify adding staff.

That came in the face of a negative working capital of -104, 727,930 shillings. For now, the statement of comprehensive income reflects a loss of Ksh25 million, a clear indication it is already insolvent.

Also operating on a donor account whose amount is unknown, there are other financial improprieties that even the Auditor General could not discern.

How this company will come out of this mess that is self-inflicted remains a mystery, but interventions must come quick and radical. In this age and time, it is hard to picture how a sensitive entity that is supposed to ensure public health can, in fact, be a public health hazard itself.

It is even more intriguing that such incompetence and corruption was allowed to tarry this long.