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{
    "id": 1088289,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1088289/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "that you become subservient and you are told that there is nothing you can do because they are the ones who have control of the market out there. We are proposing an amendment in this Bill that will have the CMA regulating the marketing and the farmer doing what he is supposed to be doing. Everybody gets their licence for what they have to do like farming, pulping or milling. They will get the necessary regulations and licensing so that it becomes very clear who does what in this country. Madam Temporary Speaker, the other thing this Bill does is to make it clear the functions of the national and county governments. The Constitution expects that the national Government will do policy and assist farmers get international markets and benefits from economies of scale by bring together all farmers across the country. Clause 6 of the Bill provides for the establishment of the coffee board which is independent from other agricultural boards unlike like the case now. If you look at the composition of that board, you will see that it brings together the farmers and representation of county governments. We have put it clearly that two persons from opposite genders representing plantation coffee growers who are nominated by the Council of Governors (CoG). We also have two persons representing the Association of Coffee Farmers (ACS) nominated by the Cabinet Secretary (CS). We will have people in the board representing small-scale farmers and big farmers If you look at the functions of the board, it has a responsibility to provide permits and licences as provided for in the Schedule of the Bill to register coffee dealers. This means that if we find that you are an unscrupulous business person; dealing in coffee who is fleecing farmers and using the opportunity you have to create a group of cartels, we can register or deregister you with the authority or a board that has the power and responsibility to do the same. It also has the responsibility to conduct local and international coffee market intelligence and promotional activities, so that they can help the farmers, including in marketing Kenyan coffee aboard. It also has the responsibility to put in place a framework of capacity building and interaction of various players in the coffee industry because it has an overview of what is happening in the country. If you contrast that, Clause 23 is on the functions of a county government when it comes to the coffee sector. What is key here is that they maintain an up to date register of coffee growers and nursery operators. This is very important. Let me just digress a little bit. I came to learn, albeit it was late, one of the reasons why most of the young people in this country are not embracing agriculture or why it does not sound sexy is how it was presented to them. For a long time, agriculture was the patriarch and matriarch of the family’s farm. They owned large pieces of land, then the farming itself was done in a very casual manner. I sometimes pity ourselves because even the young people who are in their 40s and below who have bought farms are doing what we call telephone farming. Somebody is in Nairobi is sending fertilizer to someone. You do not know if anybody is taking care of your crops or livestock. People have farming which is not considered to be financially viable, but it can be very financially viable if you take the right steps. You have the right"
}