Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1525550,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525550/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "farmer who woke up very early in the morning, ploughed their farm, prepared it, and has to sell that maize to a miller who will prepare unga, then they can buy from the supermarket. We must continue to respond to the issues that are raised by our farmers because this country is sustained by a working agricultural economy. I am not certain of the exact percentage, but I know that there is no employer larger than the agricultural sector combined in this Republic. When our farming communities are happy, the country is largely happy. When our farming communities thrive, the country thrives. The converse is also true, that many times when our farmers are facing difficulties such as this, it is difficult to keep the population happy and healthy together. I must appreciate the time that the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries took, including meeting with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) who gave their submissions and thoughts on this menace that has affected the people of Bomet County. I believe also in other parts of the country. The committee is leading this House to recommend to county governments and the national Government on the things that they need to do. Many times on the Floor of this House, we have heard people speak and say: “Oh, you know agriculture is a devolved function, why do you have money that remains at the national Government?” It is because we need to sustain institutions such as this. Not justifying the huge figures that are left there. However, remember if we do not properly resource our research institutions, our disease surveillance departments at the KEPHIS and the PCPB, then we run a risk as a country. If this was to be left to our county governments to individually deal with it, we may easily run into trouble. I still find it difficult that many of our county governments do not have either a liaison or a way through which they interact with these institutions. They can domesticate unique challenges that are county-specific and find a way of interacting. This is because these institutions on their own cannot address this matter. They will need the support of the county governments. You would expect that our county governments find a nexus through which reports from all these three extremely important agricultural institutions can interact with at a better level. They should ensure that they send information in advance, so that county governments react in good time. We do not want to see farmers losing the crop as has been the case in Bomet County for the last 12 years. I appreciate the fact that the committee is urging the national and county governments to allocate sufficient funds to assist farmers affected by this MLND in Bomet County. It is something that I hope that even though this is a Petition that was sent by an individual resident, this report, perhaps through the office of their Senator, can find its way to the county assembly, so that as Members of the Bomet County Assembly do their budget and they set aside some funds to respond to this menace. Working alongside the expertise of KALRO, KEPHIS and PCPB to ensure that they respond sufficiently to this particular menace. 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."
}