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{
    "id": 1398611,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398611/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 261,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatinga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13582,
        "legal_name": "Wahome Wamatinga",
        "slug": "wahome-wamatinga"
    },
    "content": "William Samoei Ruto, we can deliver our farmers from the bondage of brokers. We can ensure that they get the rightful income from their hard work. Farming and agribusiness will be more attractive to young Kenyans. That is why I commend the Committee on Agriculture, led by my able Chairperson, Senator for Kirinyaga, Sen. (Dr.) Murango. He has ably steered the Committee in formulation and public participation of various Bills on cotton, coffee, tea, macadamia and avocado, which is on the way. Most importantly, to put in place a sound legal framework that will ensure that farmers do not only get their rightful dues, but are also encouraged and that the government puts the right infrastructure and mechanisms in place to ensure that farmers are no longer conned of their hard work. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a House of promoters and protectors of the devolution, the committee has seen into it that the role of the county government has not been marginalized, but left at the centre because agriculture is a devolved function. With the spirit that the president gave on his inauguration speech of ensuring that functions are unbundled and followed by the budget, we will see to it that this Bill ensures that the functions of the management of sugar like many other crops that have come before the agriculture committee, becomes a central player at that the county government. Why is this important? We know that Kenya has been facing the problem of rural- urban migration. The only way to ensure that the rural population, especially the younger generation get into meaningful generation of income is to make farming attractive. How can we make it attractive? We must have legal framework and the right policies in place. However, the most important is the political goodwill to attract and create incentives to the younger generation so that they can pick up farming. It is therefore imperative that we put in place legal mechanisms that will ensure every farmer who plants a seed, also harvest and reap the benefits. That has remained dodgy in many sectors and I am very happy that this Bill seeks to address the issues. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we know the sugar industry for all the wrong reasons; poisoned sugar that is unfit for human consumption, sugarcane that does not meet the quality, sugarcane that has been delivered and never been paid for et cetera. The issues will be addressed with the introduction of this new Bill and the amendments introduced by this Committee. I am a very delighted Kenyan to see that; today, what has not been possible for the last 60 years - within one and a half years of us being sitting in this Committee; and the Kenya Kwanza Government, the plan that we promised the farmers in this country is being realised. The Government has subsidised fertiliser. These are some of the benefits that must trickle down to all the farmers, but has not been possible because of the governance and accountability issues and of well-defined legal framework. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill will ensure that what the Government subsidised gets to the farmer. It would be unfair not to say that the Government committed itself to all the debts that were owed to the sugarcane farmers and is in the process of doing the same for coffee farmers. Moving forward, we must ensure that the legal framework that is in place will ensure that farmers are not siphoned off their money. It cannot be the business of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}