Kenya Financial News

Climate change and recent troubles with counterfeit seeds have challenged Kenya's agriculture efforts to improve food security

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: India’s avocado demand is surging, but domestic supply is still playing catch-up, keeping the country reliant on imports even as local cultivation expands.Government data show imports have more than tripled in two years, rising to $42.27 million in FY26 (till February), from about $27 million in FY25 and $13.5 million in FY24. Domestic output, meanwhile, has increased more gradually—from about 6,000 tonnes in 2023 to around 9,000 tonnes in 2026, experts said.The mismatch highlights a widening gap: rising health-driven consumption is outpacing India’s nascent production base, forcing the market to lean on overseas suppliers even as farmers begin to scale up planting.The area under avocado cultivation has expanded over the years, with farmers in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim and parts of Maharashtra responding to growing urban demand.

Indian audio and video content, usually considered a draw for domestic audiences and specific diasporic markets, is now finding a home in unusual export destinations.Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Philippines are among the countries where Indian content is popular, according to the Content Trends Report launched recently at the Content India Summit 2026, organized by Dish TV.Experts said this demand is not diaspora-led, unlike more established markets such as the US or the UK. Instead, it appears to be driven by cultural alignment.

Mint explains what we know so far about the new variant, and how concerned you should be.The latest variant is a part of the Omicron strain that swept across the globe in late 2021. It was first detected in 2024 in South Africa but had remained dormant until now, causing it to be dubbed ‘cicada’ (after the insect that remains underground for long periods before suddenly emerging).It has an unusually large number of mutations in its spike protein compared to LP.8.1, the strain used as the basis for the 2025-26 vaccines.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI: India’s AI Impact Summit 2026 is emerging as an early gauge of whether the country’s state-backed artificial intelligence (AI) startups can demonstrate meaningful progress in a rapidly shifting global AI landscape, as companies backed under the government’s India AI Mission prepare to showcase their models this week.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. For decades, the 'Made in India' label sat uneasily on global retail shelves, signalling an easy pick for discount-hunter. Now, New Delhi is betting that a flurry of newly minted trade deals can flip that script, repositioning the world’s fastest-growing major economy as a producer of premium, high-margin goods to the world’s wealthiest consumers.

. Vasdev’s politics ranged far left, however, and his customers were unaware that while he fixed their timepieces, he also secretly financed Mau Mau insurgents who fought the British in a bloody conflict in the 1950s.He funded trade unionist Makhan Singh’s printing press, which churned out pro-independence leaflets. Makhan spent 11 years behind bars for his activism.

Kim Kardashian has announced her next project, a satirical comedy show Group Chat, which has been signed on by streaming platform Hulu. Hulu has officially handed a pilot order for Group Chat, which will be executive produced and led by La La Anthony, Deadline reported. The show will be written by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, who will also serve as its executive producer along with Kardashian. Apart from that, the reality TV star will also feature in it.

licence plates “all manner of alphabetical permutations and combinations were on view”. This included JA (Jamaica), WAG (West Africa and Gambia), FM (Federated Malay States), BI (British India), M (Mandatory Palestine), EA (Kenya and East Africa) and SAU (South African Union). ToI explained that the UK allowed drivers from most countries to use their cars without paying any charge for 90 days, but because the US had not signed the relevant international convention: “American cars are required to be registered with British number plates and this is done at the ship’s side.” Licence plate-spotting goes back a while.

Nairobi international airport's departures area. They huddle for selfies in matching T-shirts, discussing how they'll spend the money from their new jobs in Saudi Arabia. Lured by company recruiters and encouraged by Kenya's government, the women have reason for optimism. Spend two years in Saudi Arabia as a housekeeper or nanny, the pitch goes, and you can earn enough to build a house, educate your children and save for the future. While the departure terminal hums with anticipation, the arrivals area is where hope meets grim reality. Hollow-cheeked women return, often ground down by unpaid wages, beatings, starvation and sexual assault. Some are broke. Others are in coffins. At least 274 Kenyan workers, mostly women, have died in Saudi Arabia in the past five years — an extraordinary figure for a young workforce doing jobs that, in most countries, are considered extremely safe. At least 55 Kenyan workers died last year, twice as many as the previous year. Autopsy reports are vague and contradictory. They describe women with evidence of trauma, including burns and electric shocks, all labeled natural deaths. One woman's cause of death was simply «brain dead.» An untold number of Ugandans have died, too, but their government releases no data.

Saina Nehwal and PR Sreejesh, have written a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential candidates, urging them to make climate action their top priority. As IOC members gather in Costa Navarino, Greece, to vote on the seven candidates next week (March 18-21), the Olympians called for stronger commitments from the IOC to cut carbon emissions, promote sustainability in host cities, set clear guidelines on polluting sponsors and use its platform to advocate for climate action. Climate impacts are «no longer a distant threat, but a current and growing harm to the sports we love and to the countries that make up our Olympic family», the letter said. The signatories include 57 Olympic champions and over 100 Olympic flag bearers. They represent some of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, including Argentina, Aruba, the Bahamas, Cabo Verde, Colombia, Cook Islands, Eswatini, Fiji, Ghana, India, Kenya, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Sierra Leone and Zambia. Recognizing that extreme weather events are already disrupting the Summer and Winter Olympics and affecting athlete performance and safety, the letter urges decisive action to ensure the games remain accessible and safe for future generations. Earlier this year, massive wildfires burned large areas of Los Angeles, the host city of the 2028 Olympic Games. The fires killed about 30 people, destroyed thousands of buildings, and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Rohit Sharma and his men overcame a fierce challenge from New Zealand on Sunday to clinch their third Champions Trophy title in style. Both India and New Zealand have tasted success in this tournament before. India's last triumph came in 2013, while they finished as runners-up to Pakistan in 2017. The Men in Blue also shared the title with Sri Lanka in 2002 after a rain-marred two-day final. New Zealand, on the other hand, won the Champions Trophy in 2000—then known as the ICC Knockout Trophy—defeating India in the final at Nairobi, Kenya. To this day, it remains the Black Caps’ only ICC limited-overs title.

Champions Trophy title in style. Both India and New Zealand have tasted success in this tournament before. India's last triumph came in 2013, while they finished as runners-up to Pakistan in 2017. The Men in Blue also shared the title with Sri Lanka in 2002 after a rain-marred two-day final. New Zealand, on the other hand, won the Champions Trophy in 2000—then known as the ICC Knockout Trophy—defeating India in the final at Nairobi, Kenya. To this day, it remains the Black Caps’ only ICC limited-overs title.

The agency is implementing strict profiling measures for passengers heading to 15 countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Kenya. According to a report submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC) regarding a petition from a pilgrim denied travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, the FIA stated that travelers must possess a clear travel purpose, confirmed hotel bookings, and adequate financial resources. The FIA also mentioned that those traveling for Umrah should have sufficient religious understanding, as reported by Dawn.

Tata Chemicals shares will be in focus on Tuesday, February 4, after the company reported a net loss of Rs 21 crore for Q3FY25, compared to a net profit of Rs 194 crore in the same period last year. The company took an exceptional charge of Rs 70 crore in Q3FY25 due to employee termination benefits, decommissioning of plant and machinery, and other closure-related expenses following the cessation of soda ash production at the Lostock plant in Northwich, UK.

Small Tea Growers Association (NECSTGA) has expressed concern that import of teas from Nepal, Kenya and other African Countries vis-a-vis Tea Board’s directive on early closure of tea production in North India.

Piyush Goyal to ensure that substandard teas are not imported and distributed in India to protect the country's own tea crop. In its representation to the ministry, CISTA has alleged that cheap quality teas from Kenya and Nepal are entering India and are being re-exported to the world markets as Indian tea.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In 2004, Kenya’s Paul Tergat held the marathon world record with a timing of 2:04:55, which he had set in Berlin a year earlier. That was the year India witnessed its first serious mass participation road race — then called Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.

Former US President Donald Trump's legal battles could soon affect his ability to travel internationally, as many countries have strict entry requirements that bar individuals with felony convictions. With Trump facing 34 felony charges related to his involvement in a hush money scheme during the 2016 election, his criminal record could complicate travel to several nations that enforce such policies. According to Newsweek, G7 countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan, along with others such as Israel and China, have policies preventing convicted felons from entering their borders. These restrictions could hinder Trump’s ability to travel abroad if his convictions stand, raising questions about how this might impact his international dealings, especially if he pursues a second term in office. These entry bans vary across countries. Some, like Canada and Japan, will deny entry to anyone with a felony conviction, while others, such as Brazil and Cambodia, may not check criminal records at the border but could deny entry if a conviction is discovered later.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Indian government recently imposed a minimum import price (MIP) of ₹20,108 per tonne on soda ash until 30 June 2025. This decision, communicated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), aims to curb the inflow of lower-cost imports and protect the local manufacturing sector.