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{
    "id": 1526694,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1526694/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 166,
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    "content": "because certain middlemen are taking advantage of the farmers who are not reaching the processors. The way to reach the processor is to ensure that they are working together in cooperatives or SACCOs. Processors and exporters will enter into contractual agreements with the farmers directly and witnessed by both the county and national governments. The farmers have been requested to also register. I request farmers to register in the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information Systems (KIAMIS) to ensure they benefit from the Government subsidy programmes that exist and which are now only accessed through KIAMIS. Fourthly, is the formation of a Multi-Stakeholder Macadamia Nut Standing Committee to deliberate on farm gate prices and develop a mechanism to determine farm gate prices to avoid farmers’ exploitation. This may be achieved through cooperation with the county governments as well as the key value chain players. This Multi-Stakeholder Macadamia Nut Standing Committee is under the Agricultural and Food Authority (AFA). This is a new body to deal with those issues I have alluded to. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Government is working with its agencies and the processors in an endeavour to implement a guaranteed minimum price of Kshs100. I emphasise that is the minimum price because if you note, some two years ago, in fact, in 2019, those prices went all the way to over Kshs200 per kilogramme. That is a minimum price to protect and make sure that farmers do not make losses. However, if we expand the market, hopefully, the farmers will continue to earn a lot more than that. In terms of the strategies, the Government is implementing to build a capacity of local processors of macadamia for enhanced value addition. That will maximise the benefits to farmers and the overall economy. The Government will strengthen its policies and ensure that there is implementation and enforce them to protect processors from unfair trade practices. Further, the Ministry will collaborate with other Government agencies and the private sector to develop and provide training programmes and resources that will improve production techniques and maintain quality standards. We will also facilitate access to markets by supporting initiatives that will allow processors to compete effectively in the international markets. Finally, is to develop a harvesting calendar for the opening and closing of the harvesting window of macadamia to ensure improvement of the quality of the Kenyan produce. Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir."
}