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{
    "id": 132325,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/132325/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 414,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I stand to support the Vote of this Ministry which is very crucial. From the outset, let me commend the Minister and his staff for the good and visible work that they are doing. If all the Ministers were doing the same, this country would have moved forward. Having said that, when I look at the amount of money allocated to the Ministry, I do not think it is enough. This money is not enough because in this country we get our priorities lopsided. This is a country that depends on agriculture but instead of exploiting agriculture, we give preference to other things. We should realize what we can do better. This is an agricultural country and we should exploit agriculture to its fullest. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me start with research. Over the years, research in agriculture has been done at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and universities but when I talk to professors, there seems to be a disconnect. The research is not disseminated to the farmers. As a result, it remains at the universities. I remember at one time they were even producing fertilizer locally. This did not get to the farmers. Farmers would have been told how to manufacture fertilizer. In this country, we have dry lands, wet lands, agricultural lands and marginal lands. We should be finding out what is good for a particular region. If an area is fit for livestock rearing, let us concentrate on that. Let us not try farming there. If it is an area like Kinangop where I come from, it is a purely agricultural area. We do not even exploit a tenth of our potential. We should be putting more resources there by way of irrigation and research so that we can use at least half of our potential. In that area, we can produce sugar to feed this country. This is not like Muhoroni or Miwani but white sugar beets. I remember a research was done sometimes back and it was found out that we can produce sugar beets in Kinangop. It was, however, never actualized. I would urge this Ministry to do research and find out what is good for which area and capitalize on that. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to divert from praising the Minister to saying how we are marginalized. In the previous Government, coffee was subsidized. As a result, the rest of Central Province and other areas that grow coffee benefitted. Today, it is Trans Nzoia and Rift Valley provinces which benefit through maize subsidies. What about those of us in Nyandarua who grow potatoes? We belong to this country but we do not get any subsidy. We would like to see ourselves get value addition and agro- processing. We have tried even on our own, to up a plant there which could freeze potatoes so that we can keep it and feed the people during the low season. We would want to see areas like Kinangop provided with subsidized fertilizer. We do not have the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot and yet we require one. I have no doubt because the Minister for Agriculture is an intelligent man. He is a man with a foresight and listens. I am sure he is aware that Kinangop can do a lot to feed this country. I want to commend the Minister for talking about afforestation. Aberdares has been cleared and as a result, rivers in Kinangop are dry. Lake Naivasha has no life. It will be drying up soon. I support the Minister fully when he says that 10 per cent of agricultural land should have trees. It could be an orchard or other trees. That way this country can benefit. Finally, we should adopt new farming methods. We cannot cling to old traditional farming methods. We should adopt modern farming methods where an acre can produce food that traditionally was produced from five acres. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}