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{
    "id": 1546389,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546389/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "also been result of bad agricultural practices that have literally decimated the good part of the soil. We remember many years back, during the days of President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, he would lead daily and weekly activities to fix gabions and plant trees in order to manage soil erosion. There is a plethora of reasons that have led to soil failure and reduced productivity. It is, therefore, inevitable that in many parts of this country, commercial or chemical fertilisers are becoming almost a necessity, a requirement for anyone to produce any food of any value. I come from Busia. We have not been keen consumers or major consumers of fertilisers because our soils have remained fertile and generally have been producing crops adequate to feed ourselves and return something small for commercial purposes. But for the last few years, that is no longer the case. Crop failure has become preeminent. Therefore, it is important that we find ways and means of boosting the application of interventions to improve productivity. Kenya consumes about 700,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser each year. It is projected that for us to sustain food production that can sustain our economy and population, we might have to consume about one billion metric tonnes of fertiliser in the next two to three years. Our manufacturing capacity is literally minimal. It is presumed that almost 90 per cent of the fertiliser used in this country is imported at a heavy cost in terms of foreign exchange, exported jobs and other issues. That is why we urge the executive government, both at the national and county levels, to invest in production of local fertiliser. It is laudable and should be supported wholeheartedly, by all State organs. When you speak to known manufacturers, the Kenya Vision 2030 was supposed to account for 15 per cent of the economy by 2030. It is hardly seven per cent. That means we are lagging behind with less than five years to go. One of the reasons why manufacturing has failed to meet its target is because the cost of production in this country is higher compared to importing. By adding other import taxes, the price of many imported products, including fertiliser, is lower than locally produced products. I urge the Government to assess costs of factors of production and work strategically to reduce the costs. Otherwise, what Hon. Atandi has asked us to resolve will merely add to the many volumes of unimplementable parliamentary or policy decisions. We urge the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Budget and Appropriations Committee to work with the National Treasury, the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) and other economic think tanks to seriously examine how we can reduce the cost of production."
}