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{
    "id": 1546457,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546457/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 226,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Caroline Ng’elechei",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "to be a manufacturer of fertilisers. We might feel that we need to manufacture fertiliser, but I support Hon. Caroli Omondi in asking what it takes to manufacture fertiliser. We are not the source of the basic ingredients for manufacturing fertiliser unless we blend or granulate, but it is important to try. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. Of all the things we can do better than fishing, mining and other activities, agriculture stands out because we have arable land and good climatic conditions. We have so many graduates and diploma holders trained in agriculture. They can conduct research on how we can do better with fertiliser. Most of the graduates find themselves in unfamiliar territories because many things in agriculture are not being implemented in Kenya. There are many research institutes dealing with agriculture, but they cannot realise their full potential. I support the Motion. Let us apply the knowledge we have acquired through research. Let us venture out. Through research, we can know what is best. Imported fertiliser might not produce the best yields out of our soils. We have different types of soil that require different fertiliser components. For the sake of our research, knowledge and education, it is good that we try manufacturing fertiliser. We have suffered from fake fertilisers. Many times people adulterate fertilisers. When we manufacturer fertiliser locally, it will be easy to control quality. It is hard for local agencies to control what has been manufactured outside the country. They might not frequently visit the manufacturing industries to confirm the contents of the fertilisers. The price of imported fertiliser has a transport and handling component. We can mitigate this cost by manufacturing our own fertiliser. When we produce fertiliser locally, farmers will access it whenever they need. Right now, the North Rift farmers are planting and they depend on the subsidised fertiliser supplied by the Government. At times, we run out of stock and have to wait for two to three days or one week, whereas the rains do not wait. If we had local manufacturers, it would be easy for us to access and utilise fertiliser in time during the rainy season. We also have the short-term crops that we can plant between the long rains’ seasons such as beans, but the Government only supplies fertiliser when there is a need and only during the planting season. Accessing locally manufactured fertliser will ensure that we have fertiliser supply every time we need it. I support the Motion and encourage the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to give it a try because we always cry about food insecurity. It is a shame that we face food shortages in the country not because of natural causes like rainfall or soil type, but because farmers do not get the right inputs on time like fertiliser and seedlings. We can manufacture our own fertiliser just like we did with the seeds last year. Farmers faced many challenges regarding seeds last year, but this year, we have an oversupply of seeds. Farmers were well prepared because they knew that fertilisers would be subsidised. That is why our fertiliser stores are running out of stock every now and then. It is a good area to venture into, but Hon. Atandi, it will also be good if you can advise on what we need to do. Are the components or ingredients for manufacturing fertilisers locally available or will we still have to import them?"
}