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{
    "id": 1379767,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1379767/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 163,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kirinyaga County, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Njeri Maina",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of the Kenya Kwanza Government and the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASGTS) under Vision 2030. Luxury brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and others are known for contract farming in countries like Indonesia. Kenya can tap into that to ensure we maximise our farmers' output. I have had the luxury of visiting Brazil. The textile industry in Brazil is worth over US$60 billion, creating employment for millions of its citizens. This Bill is, therefore, timely and very crucial. It will support cotton farmers under the Kirinyaga Cotton Cooperative Society from Ria Gicheru, Murinduko, South Ngariama, Nyangati, Tebere and Muthithi in Mwea Constituency. Revival of cotton ginneries will also cascade to value chain job-creation opportunities, given that the Government is now focusing on ensuring we have industrial parks in various counties. Kirinyaga County is one of the counties constructing an industrial park in Ndia Constituency to ensure farmers benefit and create job opportunities for the young people of Kirinyaga County. This House allocated Ksh500 million in the main budget to the Kirinyaga Economic Processing Zone (EPZ). This value chain must be supported even with legislation to ensure maximum output. As we speak about cotton and the revival of the Mwea ginnery, it is also important to ensure that farmers get guaranteed minimum returns from cotton. In the past, farmers were getting as low as Ksh50 per kilogramme, which made them to do away with cotton farming. BT cotton farming is now being done in my constituency in over 100 acres. If we increase the price to at least Ksh100 per kilogramme, I am certain that farmers will get the motivation to farm cotton. It is also important to note that most of the ginneries operating in Kenya have an output of about 50 per cent because they do not have the latest machinery. We need to automate the process to cut the cost of production for farmers and ensure that they get good returns from cotton farming. Due to the competition in the market, it is also important for us to have goodwill. This will be a county endeavour, as agriculture is now a devolved function from the national government, in terms of interventions if need be so that we can stabilise the industry. As I wind up, I urge this House to prioritise a proper framework in terms of regulations for the revival of all cotton ginneries. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}