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"content": "Another avenue used by the Government to reach out to farmers in an attempt to reduce the cost of production is our agricultural mechanization service. Last year, we managed to buy 70 new tractors and accessories and 11 graders. We have 23 Agricultural Mechanization Stations (AMS) across the country. We realize that there is inadequacy in mechanizing our farming. It is not possible in the 21st Century to attract talent and expertise into the agricultural sector which we desperately need if agricultural productivity will depend on crude implements like jembes, oxen and things like those. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for us to attract investment and the necessary human resource that we need to mechanize our agriculture and transform it into a profitable business, we must mechanize. There is no shortcut. Therefore, in this yearâs package, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and friendly countries, we intend to extend this service to more Kenyans and, hopefully, if the negotiations that are underway are concluded, we should access an additional 1,000 tractors this year which will then be disseminated or given out through our AMS stations to various parts of our country. We realize that there are farmers who have farms but due to the cycle of poverty they are in, they have been trapped and are unable to procure certified seeds or fertilizer. Realizing the importance of this sector on our society and the need to get them out of the cycle of poverty, my Ministry initiated what we call the National Accelerated Agricultural Inputs Programme. Under this programme, we identify farmers who have the land but do not have the capacity to purchase certified seed or fertilizer. In the last three years, we have spend Kshs905 million to reach out to 131,000 farmers under this programme; where a farmer is given one bag of fertilizer and 10 kilogrammes of seed and another bag of top-dressing fertilizer. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the enormity of the turnover in this area is mind boggling. I was in Kisii with the area MP, Dr. Monda. It is amazing how farmers have transformed their productivity from areas where they could produce only four bags of maize to produce between 20 and 25 bags of maize. I went to Msambweni with four hon. Members from the coast where we visited some of the beneficiaries of this programme. They told us about the amount of success they have come across as result of enhanced productivity that came with this particular programme. It was my intention to upscale this programme to between 100,000 to 200,000 famers but because of the budget constraints, I will only access 36,000 farmers this financial year. I think it is necessary that we upscale this programme because of the positive effects it has on both food production and also poverty reduction. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the Kilimo Biashara arrangement, we have put in place a credit scheme of Kshs4 billion with Equity Bank. I am happy to note that Kshs741 million has already been disbursed. We are looking forward to more farmers coming on board with proposals on the agricultural sector; how to enhance their productivity and food production so that they can benefit from this arrangement. I want to single out donors who have supported my Ministry. In this yearâs budget, we have Kshs3.82 billion that has been given to us by friendly countries and donors to support, especially our research departments."
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