How to grow calla lily Flowers

Calla lily makes fantastic Bridal Bouquets flowers and they are grown from tubers.  In addition it symbolizes magnificent beauty and purity. These plants blooms all the year-round, which makes it affordable. Some brides use white flowers in the bridal bouquet and colored ones, such as purple, pink, green and red, in the attendants' bouquets. While there are many ways to use them in a bouquet, a modern yet classic style where the stems show at the bottom compliments any dress or wedding theme. Add flowers food or a few drops of citrus acid to the calla lily vase. 

The stems can stain or drip water and therefore, the bouquet should be allowed to stand outside of water for at least 30 minutes before handling near a wedding gown.

Prepare the soil well before planting the flowers. The crop grows best in well drained loose soils. Mulch application will help to maintain moisture, a more constant soil temperature and control weeds.Dry out the calla lily tubers in a ventilated area prior to planting. 

Once they have hardened well, plant at 5cm deep with the foliage pointing upwards. Allow 60cm of space between the growing rows and 30cm between the lily tubers at planting time.

Water the tubers so that the soil is moist but not water logged. Calla lily need to be kept moist all the time during growth and they will bloom in about 60 days.

Dig up the tubers once the foliage dies and Store in a cool dry place until ready to plant in the following season. The tubers can remain in the ground for storage in climates that are warm year round and given a dose of nitrogen fertilizer to start the calla lily flowers’ growing process over again.

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Drugs and substance abuse prevention: Contact NACADA Authority Kenya Counselors free on tel 1192

Drugs and substance abuse is widespread Globally and it interferes with brain development of the young people.Therefore sensitization on drugs and substance abuse among the young people need special emphasis  in order to rescue and save our future today. Early detection of drugs and substance abuse is vital for prevention and rehabilitation of the youth. According to NACADA (National Campaign against Drugs Abuse) authority Kenya, 75% of Kenyan population is made up of young people below 30 years.33% of the population consists of young people15-30 years.56% of criminals are youth  aged 24-25 years. The youth currently make up 33% of the Kenyans infected with HIV/AIDS. Young women 15-24 years are three times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than men of the same age. Among students research shows that 75% have tried alcohol at least once. Majority of the young people fall into these social vices during adolescent which is a period of rapid change and critical decision making in relation to:-

• Self identity: autonomy, independence, esteem and image
• Sexual identity : boy girl relationship
• Vocational identity: Career choice

When the youth were asked what led them to start this practices some of the answers were curiosity, to fit in, rebellion etc.

Stages of drugs and substance abuse

1. Experiential stage: This is when the youth are experimenting or trying
2. Social stage: the young people are seen with strange friends
3. Instrumental stage:The youth can remember the previous day's activities as the mind is not yet damaged
4. Habitual stage: the practice  becomes a habit/routene
5. Compulsory/ addiction stage: The youth can engage in any social vice including lies, stealing, theft ,prostitution and selling housewares for money money to sustain drugs and substance abuse.

Classification

1. Stimulants: increases activity e.g. tobacco, coccaine, miraa
2. Depressants: decreases activity e.g. codein, diazipan
3. Steroids: common with youth males, fosters formation of living tissues increasing muscular mass
4. Hallucinogens: causes hallucinations or pronounced alteration of perception, state of fantasy, illusions and being lost in the world of dreams e.g. cannabis, hashish
5. Prescription medicine e.g. codeine, morphine, valium, pethidine.   

Effects of drugs and substance abuse

• Developmental effects: When drugs and substance abuse starts before young people attain 21 years,  brain development is retarded
• Memory blackouts in young people
• Sexual problems i.e. lack of appeal or promiscuity
• Insomnia, moodiness, restlessness, hallucinations
• dread of facing people
• Injection marks
•  skin rash
• Watering eyes

This is a guide to identification of cases of drugs and substance abuse among the youth and young people. Be aware, be alert, be alive and support prevention!
More-http://yagrein.blogspot.com/p/what-are-youth-saying.html

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Success story of a Kenyan youth savings and credit co-operative society

Gatundu young traders Mpesa

Gatundu young traders’ savings and credit co-operative society is an organization founded by the youth for the youth. Their guiding slogan is ‘’Youth have all it takes to succeed as long as they unite’’. Gatundu young traders’ savings and credit co-operative society registered with the Kenya  ministry of cooperative Development and Marketing Reg Number C/S 12020 in February 2009 and the membership was 20 by then. To date Gatundu Young traders Savings and credit co-operative society has 200 members and a capital base of 2.5 million. The members get loans which they pay at a youth friendly interest rate.  45% of the loans are used in agriculture investment contributing to national food security. The Savings and credit co-operative society headquarters are located in Gatundu Town of Kiambu County in central Kenya region.

Members in a training session

This savings and credit co-operative society was started as a solution to the discrimination of the youth in kenya by the established financial institutions. The founder member Jonn Njoroge Munyua is the current chairman of Gatundu Young Traders savings and credit co-operative society and the vision bearer.  Njoroge is also the Managing Director of smart works Traders Company dealing with detergents chemicals in Gatundu town,in addition to being the secretary to original youth pioneers group based at kimunyu location Gatundu District. His leadership dates back ten years when he was elected the chairman of Vision Youth Group at the age of 30 years. Having grown up on the farm, he was introduced to farming by his parents who were good farmers. He developed interest in farming, worked on the family farm while young and latter on inherited piece of land.

Executive committee

He learnt about many profitable enterprises and technologies during agricultural trainings by agriculture extension officers, among which he started implementing installation of energy saving stoves services, manufacture of liquid detergents and making of fireless cookers for sale. Full of passion John Njoroge Munyua visited a bank seeking a loan for the projects implementation .He got a rude shock on realizing the bank required security/collateral which he didn’t have. The youth never got discouraged but conceived the idea of forming a revolving fund group consisting of young people, shared a few friends who supported the idea. The revolving fund group held its first meeting in June 2008 and latter registered as Gatundu young traders saving and credit co-operative society.  John Njoroge got his first loan from the revolving fund group which he used boost energy stoves installation services and detergents chemicals projects. The projects continue to flourish to this date greatly contributing to environmental conservation and community livelihood improvement.

Gatundu Young traders savings and credit co-operative society has grown tremendously and in the year 2010 and 2011 it was honored as the best organization in capacity building to the members, and best sustained and improved savings and credit co-operative society in Gatundu District respectively.In 2012 Gatundu young traders savings and credit organization has managed to roll their first M-pesa project which will generate income for the organization. Gatundu young traders’ savings and credit co-operative society is solely working with the members’ contribution and the funds are insufficient to meet all the requirements. The young traders are making efforts to pursue the Youth Development Enterprise Fund, a Kenya Government fund for assistance in overcoming inadequacy in a the working capital. The youth savings and credit co-operative society is a role model to many young traders and is therefore calling for any relevant support from like minded organizations and individuals, who have the objective of improving the livelihoods of the youth in Kenya. Glory to God on High and long live GYTS organization.

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Youth in Agriculture Motivation and Government Policy

Involvement of youth in agriculture is not only a good idea but crucial for agricultural economies sustainability. Most African economies heavily depend on farming to earn foreign exchange, for employment of 70% of the population, to provide raw materials for agro-industries and for food security among the citizens. Therefore youth in agriculture campaign is necessary for succession and sustainability of the industry. It goes without saying that absence of young people in agricultural activities points to a future economic disaster for Africa and most developing countries ,confirming an African proverb which says that, ‘‘a herd without calves is headed for extinction’’. The future of the farming industry is in the hands of the young people. It is vital that young people are involved in the industry early in life.

But in reality, traditionally and economically little is done to seriously involve youth in agriculture, until later in life when most likely they have developed other priorities. In this case farming becomes a supplementary activity without its due importance. According to the African tradition inherited land is not released to the young people for farming until later in life when they get married, yet land is a principal factor of production in farming. This practice is mainly responsible for propagation of traditional subsistence farming which lacks  vision and innovation leading to low returns. Governments’ policies to encourage ownership of land by the young people should be  formulated urgently. This will enable the industry to absorb young people at the height of their talent, energy, optimism and innovativeness. Involvement of young people in farming should employ a multi-sector approach for success.

 
This can be achieved through integration of youth in agriculture policy with education policy, young people employment policy and the policies of all relevant government sectors. Agricultural extension services should also be modernized to embrace information and communication technologies. The traditional extension methodologies like field days are no longer effective for reaching the youth in agriculture. Use of information and communication technology will modernize and change the face of farming, improve farm income and improve food security to the communities. The information and communication technology should be used to deliver extension services, provide accurate market information and to link the youth in agriculture with consumers of their farm produce. This will give youth in agriculture comparative advantage and a superior position in the market place.

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Success Story of Kenyan Youth in Agriculture and ICT

75% of Kenyan population directly depends on small scale farming for their livelihood in the rural areas. The farming individuals are commonly elderly people between the ages of 45-65 years.However Geoffrey Mwamba has defied the common thinking of most Kenyans about agriculture. At the age of 27 years he is a proud owner of small scale tomato Farming business which he has named ever blazing farm, on 0.1ha or 1/4 acre of land. The farm is in Kiganjo Division,  Kiamwangi location, Ngenda sublocation, Gatundu District, Kiambu County in central Kenya region.             

Geoffrey mwamba practices agriculture with a difference employing youthful energy, enthusiasm and Knowledge attained from an Agricultural Training institution and business studies, to develop his agriculture business. Mwamba markets his tomatoes in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya and its environs, and the demand for his produce is so overwhelming that he recently started recruiting collaborators to grow tomatoes and capsicums for him.Mwamba extensively uses his mobile phone to send information to his customers and receive orders for his farming produce which greatly contributes to the expansion of his farming business. He also orders unique seeds which are not available in the local stores through the internet giving him comparative advantage in the bussiness.Geoffrey mwamba has no regrets and earns a decent living with  current gross earning amounting over KSH 120,000 per month from his tomato farming business. Mwamba attributes his success to determination, commitment, hard work, availability of a shallow well which belongs to his grandfather, encouragement and support from his parents and siblings.

 

On interviewing this youth in agriculture, he revealed big plans ahead to own additional land in order to expand his farming business, a mansion in a premium area of Nairobi City, the best car and the best family. His life goals are well written down in black and white and nothing will stop him from achieving them. He’s a role model and a mentor to youth in agriculture. Therefore there is no doubt youth can find rewarding employment in agriculture activities as evidenced by Geoffrey mwamba’s case.Read-http://yagrein.blogspot.com/p/our-activities.html

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Challenges And Issues Faced By African Youth In Agriculture

The ambitions of the youth in agriculture are more often than not triggered and molded by role models. Farmers in Africa are mostly elderly people between the ages of 55-70 years, who lack enthusiasm as they engage in traditional subsistence cultivation, which gives poor returns. For this reason, this economic activity has not been embraced by the young generation who perceive it as an occupation for the old, illiterate, poor rural people, having seen their parents in rags, majority of whom are involved in agriculture. The misconception has led to rural urban migration among the youth in search of greener pastures. Consequently formal employment opportunities are scarce due to population explosion in the urban centers. Desperation has resulted particularly among the youth leading to indulgence in drugs and substance abuse, crime and violence, while the ravaging aids scourge has not spared them.

Current generation of farmers

Millions of youth and their families in Africa are facing starvation, unemployment and languishing in poverty today. The solution to Africa’s persistent poverty especially in the rural areas lies in commercialization of small scale agriculture to ensure profitability of and involvement of the youth in agriculture value chain activities. This calls for rapid transformation of the agriculture sector for self reliance, food and nutritional security and poverty reduction. In view this, youth training on various aspects of farming business, from production, value addition, and marketing should be a priority of African governments and development agents .Youth in agriculture policies should be created and integrated with other policies on youth matters such as education, training and investment as most young people do not own land which is a primary requirement in farming business. This will ignite the interest of the youth and empower them to play a greater role in the advancement of agriculture as it becomes, knowledge based and economically rewarding.

Nonetheless young people in the African continent face numerous challenges as they try to venture into farming business. Existing finance institutions are biased against agriculture particularly the small-scale young farmers due to their harsh requirements and high interests’ rates. Therefore there is a great need for young farmer friendly farm credit facilities. Furthermore farming business in Africa needs to diversify into high value crops, increase farm productivity, and ensure effective agricultural technical services for enhanced adoption of modern farming business technologies. This will improve returns of farming business impacting positively livelihoods of the rural communities. Information technology is essential to facilitate agriculture marketing and farming business information sourcing. Unfortunately, most African governments have not yet given adequate attention to providing their citizens with access to information, especially those in the rural areas where 70–80% of the population lives.

Information technology initiatives should therefore be made to strengthen the grass roots people, with special emphasis on the youth in farming business particularly in places without public libraries or other information resources.
There is urgent need to invest in young people and develop the skills necessary for Africa to become a world leader in farming business. I have a dream of a young person walking into a bank to make a farming business argument, using a cash-flow analysis to demonstrate profitability of his farm enterprises. This way traditional subsistence agriculture will get transformed into farming business improving the capacity of the agriculture sector to attract, absorb and retain young people as farming business activities become economically rewarding.

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