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{
    "id": 1525573,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525573/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 239,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this report by the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. As I support this report, I want to appreciate the diligence of the young Kenyan from Bomet who has educated us on what is going on in this country. The reason we have seeds that are prone to diseases is simply because institutions have failed to perform their work. We have an institution called the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), which is supposed to provide a service and regulate seeds in this country. However, it appears that for last 12 years, a disease has attacked the basic food that sustains this economy and they have done nothing about it. In 2021, Bomet County lost almost 90 per cent of its crop. Yet we have institutions that collect billions of shillings to ensure that our farmers are protected. These are the kind of things that make some of us propose legislation to separate some of these tasks that they are given. I want to tell the honourable Kenyan who brought this Petition that this Petition will not just go like any other petitions. Most of the time, when Kenyans come and petition here, just because the Constitution gives you the right to do so, it is quite seldom that action is taken or whatever the recommendation we give is fully implemented. Madam Temporary Speaker, this is one of those actionable petitions and we can implement it because it touches on our existence. If you tell the people of Rift Valley that they cannot grow maize - I heard my good friend, the Senate Majority Leader - say that because of all these disadvantages and challenges, he is now advising his constituents to diversify. I understand where he is coming from. As a farmer like me, I have to grow maize because apart from feeding my own family with it and my community, I also have to feed my cows. However, the truth of the matter is that I cannot feed my cows with maize that has a disease because I will pass that disease to other people. So, what is the neatest thing to do? The Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has done its task. All the distinguished Senators who spoke here have also supported this committee and emphasised its findings. We all know agriculture function is devolved. It is about time that county governments ensured that their field officers in rural homes guarantee that the seeds sold by KSC and all these agro vets are certified. Within the next few weeks, I will introduce an amendment to the Seed and Plant Variety Act. This is the Plant Variety Act. I will seek to introduce a standard-based seed 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."
}