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{
"id": 1046234,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kindiki",
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"id": 1046,
"legal_name": "Kithure Kindiki",
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"content": "market has been found and once an aggregation has been done, good enough to attract international buyers. Therefore, there must be a way to not only link this product to the strategic food reserve of the country, but also to link it to the warehousing receipt system, whose law we passed last year. I also see a gap because the Bill in its form does not provide for a subsidy system. The only thing that can help farmers recoup their profits and get a tidy sum out of their sweat and labour is subsidies. All over the world, governments subsidize agriculture. In fact, the richer countries, for example, put over 60 per cent subsidy in agricultural production, whether you are talking about milk, potatoes, staple foods, including crops like this one. Increasingly, there must be a subsidy programme, especially from county governments, where agriculture is devolved, to ensure that, that subsidy is able to improve the prices of this commodity and make the farmer smile all the way to the bank. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am of the view that the quality of the mung beans grown in Kenya, especially in the counties where it is grown, is among the best in the world. It is extremely superior to the variety grown in India and parts of Asia, including Thailand, and the variety that is grown in some few countries in South America. For that reason, I am opposed to any genetic modification of the Kenyan product of mung beans. What we need to do is to have a way of certifying seeds, so that the seeds that farmers use are certified by the Kenya Seed Company, and that should include the yield. As I end, I am also persuaded that this crop can grow in nearly 38 counties in this country. However, it has not been tried. I see no reason this crop cannot be grown in parts of Isiolo, Marsabit and places in Nyanza, such as Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori. I see no reason it cannot grow in Kajiado, Narok and so many other counties. I have counted nearly 38 counties that can produce this crop. This crop requires, for those who do not know, less than 78 days to mature. It requires like three or four days of rain so long as they are spread within two weeks period. If there is rain this week, for two days, and another two days after two weeks, in fact, people will harvest. This is the most ideal low hanging fruit, if we are talking about food security in this country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there must be some responsibility also on the national Government to try to promote the growth of this crop in as many counties as possible in our Republic. I do not want to spend a lot of time on this. My only plea is that this is a national legislation; it must be as much as detailed as possible. We should not leave the details to regulations because under Article 190 of the Constitution, I know the kind of influence that national legislation has on counties, and the running of counties is strictly speaking much more superior than what legislation or policy can do. I believe that the Committee will do a good job. For the farmers in Tharaka-Nithi, Kitui, Makueni and other counties where they have been suffering, this is the first step towards realizing and rewarding their labour. Going forward, I hope that someone in Tseikuru, Marimanti in Tharaka or Wote in Makueni can sell this crop for about Kshs300 The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}