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{
    "id": 1382575,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1382575/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 71,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Baringo North, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Joseph Makilap",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I am very sure that is what is going to change Kenya and even encourage other investors from other countries to invest in our country. Look at RIVATEX, which the County Woman Representative of Uasin Gishu County and the Deputy Speaker talked about. The Government injected Ksh5 billion into RIVATEX to boost production, but it does not have enough raw materials. The company used taxpayers’ money yet it buys cotton from India and China. What does this mean? It means farmers in those countries are getting revenue from the sweat of our people yet we have the capacity to grow cotton in this country. What should we do? We should change the seeds that are used by farmers and subsidise their prices. For example, we could use Bt cotton and the open pollinated one. We should conduct proper market research. We should also establish the Cotton Development Board, which will oversee and organise farmers in Kenya so that they can grow cotton, especially in areas which receive little rainfall and require less fertiliser. I am sure, if we do that, we will have enough cotton for our ginneries. We should not only look at cotton from the production point of view in the farm; rather we should do value addition. During the dry spell, many farmers were feeding their livestock on cotton cake which is very expensive. Its price ranges between Ksh3,000 and Ksh8,000. It is good for livestock and if you are in the business of fattening, it enables your livestock to grow fat. How can we ensure that we wear clothes manufactured using cotton grown in Kenya? We must change the investment equation so that cotton trade favours Kenya as opposed to our neighbours. That way, we will earn income for our people. Look at cotton velvet wool. It costs Ksh450 per 500g. What does this mean? As a country, if we invest in this area, we shall have many people in business. They will earn income to pay school fees for their children, improve their living standards, and grow the economy. I laud Hon. Emaase. Those of us from dry cotton growing areas should support this Bill like our brothers who come from the coffee and tea growing areas. This will make Kenya equitable. We will have a group of Kenyans growing cotton, tea, coffee and others in Mombasa growing cashew nuts. We will grow the economy of our country using our own resources. I support and ask that we pass this Bill so that we can mobilise farmers throughout the Republic of Kenya to grow cotton. The revenue from cotton will be used to get the economy of this country in the right trajectory. Thank you."
}