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{
    "id": 1525570,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525570/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 236,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I have another example of lack of support for our farmers. I am now focussing on Tana River County. You will find that loans that were advanced to them by the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and Equity Bank have left almost all the farmers on the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB). They now cannot get any more loans to support the next crop just like the farmers in Bomet County. Due to the lack of support, money that comes to help them start working comes from commercial sources. When they fail to pay because of the lack of support from county governments, they are left with loans. The Senate, through the Standing Committee of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the adoption of this report, is telling the executive and our various county governments to put more effort in supporting our farmers. This is the biggest employer across the entire Republic of Kenya. May we put money where it will support our farmers. I fully agree with one of the recommendations here that says we give money or loans to support the Bomet farmers to start again. The Bomet County farmers are looking for loans, which is okay. However, the Tana River County farmers are urging that the national Government to steps in because this is about Kshs103 million for all the farmers in the Bura Irrigation Scheme. We have made this request and we hope it will be considered. These farmers' loans will be waived so that they are given a fresh start. In Bomet, they should be given support to start again. This is because when you have lost all your crops, you have lost everything. Again, crop insurance is one of the recommendations. A lot of work goes into preparing the land and buying inputs for the farms. If anything goes wrong, whether rains are delayed, water from irrigation is delayed or dried up, or machines break down, then we lose the whole crop. If this should happen and there is no crop insurance, then it is a total loss to these farmers. Madam Temporary Speaker, I repeat that we need to support our farmers more, put in more effort, especially financial effort and bring crop insurance to our farmers so that they can survive in these tough economic times. I want to take my seat. However, I will congratulate Mr. Hillary for bringing this petition before the Senate. I thank again the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries for their work. It is important for us to realise that without farmers, Kenya is sunk. This is the biggest employer. This is where we should be putting our money. It is an indictment on this Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development at the national 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."
}