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{
    "id": 1257717,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1257717/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 168,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okiya Omtatah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise to support this very important Bill. I begin by congratulating my brother, Sen. Wambua, for having thought through this process. I begin with Section 23 of the Bill which states that the Crops Act shall not apply to the production, development and regulation of the mung beans. This is extremely important because the Crops Act has been responsible for a lot of confusion we have in the various sectors. I pray that going forward, the various crops which are important are developed as stand-alone crops with unique challenges and requirements. In support of this Bill, I acknowledge the mandatory terms it uses to impose requirements on the county governments. It is important because when things are left hanging, they tend to be ignored. To support the mandatory terms, there are penalties for certain aspects and certain conducts. I support the Bill. There is need to strengthen the growth of this crop by investing a lot in research and development. We may need to have a mung bean research and development centre for us to improve the crop and not rely on the seeds as they are. We can improve them in order for us to get crops that can deal with the various challenges that we have today such as climate change and acidic soils. We also need to research on the products that can be made from the mung beans. Let us not assume that it can only be helpful in one way. There is need for research to establish if we can use it to produce more products and if we can also use it in baking or making baby formula. Let us invest in research for it to move beyond the traditional food served on the table to the field of supplements and such. Of course, the mung bean is very good for bachelors because it is very easy to cook. All you need is to clean it and dump it in a pot of boiling water. Even with just salt and ugali, you will eat a good meal. It does not need a lot of sophistication when it comes to cooking. So, these are the kind of simple foods that can help industrialisation because in industrialisation, time is limited. If you go to begin preparing ngwashi, you have to debulk stuff, storage is difficult and what have you. It is very difficult to use them in urban centres. However, something like mung beans is very easy to utilize because it is easy to store, cook and transport. The benefits of this bean are really beyond what can be stated on the Floor of this House. I support and congratulate our Senator for having brought this Bill about. When I was growing up, my grandmother used to grow a lot of these beans, but today they have disappeared. I only see them in the supermarkets. It means that there must have been a problem with marketing of mung beans in Busia County or in other places. So, the issue of marketing is also very important. I see the Bill has attempted to deal with the question of cartels emerging in the sector to deny the farmers the benefits of their labour. I congratulate that particular clause in the Act as it will ensure that the crop becomes attractive. By becoming attractive, it will be grown by many people. Ultimately, I congratulate Sen. Wambua, for the manner in which he has laid out this Bill. This is because, he has a section on the responsibilities of the national and county Governments."
}