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{
    "id": 1096473,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1096473/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 319,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kiambu CWR, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Gathoni Wamuchomba",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13244,
        "legal_name": "Gathoni Wamuchomba",
        "slug": "gathoni-wamuchomba"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this piece of legislation and more specifically, to support the amendment Bill because it may help our people, especially those working hard to make ends meet. It is very exciting to listen to this kind of discussion where we are thinking of how to empower small-scale farmers and provide a platform for them to use the available natural resources like water and arable land. According to World Bank data and public records from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), arable land share in Kenya is currently above 10.2 per cent, way up from 6.1 per cent in 2016. The amount of arable land that we currently have in Kenya is 15 per cent of Kenya's agricultural potential. If we could invest more in irrigation and ensure that irrigation platforms are accessible to small-scale farmers, Kenya can become the food basket of Africa. Currently, the food basket of Africa is in the northern part of the continent in Egypt and Israel. I am very excited to note that the Kenyan Government has done well in investing in the water infrastructure. Currently, where I come from in Kiambu, we have had quite serious investments in water infrastructure. We have a dam that is upcoming in Gatundu North Constituency called Kariminu Dam. About Kshs24 billion have been sunk into the dam and if plans go well, we hope that upon its completion, many young Kenyans yearning to become agribusiness farmers will benefit. There are a lot of investments being done elsewhere. Still in Kiambu, we also have another dam called Ruiru II Dam. We hope that once it is completed, we will have many opportunities for young agribusiness farmers. However, I am quick to note that it is not enough to just do investments like we have done. We need to up our game and ensure that the farmers who are supposed to benefit from the dams can use the infrastructure provided for them by ensuring that we provide training platforms for them like enhanced training facilities within the counties, so that they can not only have access to water, but also know what to do with it. I am very excited because through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), currently, my office has come up with such a centre where we bring farmers together, train them on how to grow bananas, tissue culture bananas and use irrigation water that will come from such dams as Kariminu Dam and Ruiru II Dam to ensure that they engage in agribusiness using good agricultural practices (GAPs), so that the bananas can better their livelihoods. I am very excited. I hope that what is happening in Kiambu through the NGAAF will also happen in other counties through other Government-funded The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}