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{
    "id": 1569199,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569199/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 154,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mathioya, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Edwin Gichuki",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on implementation of Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) to support coffee, tea, milk and macadamia farmers. Whereas agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy and a key driver of employment and exports, sustainability and well-being of farmers are increasingly being threatened by high input costs, climate risks and global economic uncertainties. The rising costs of essential farm inputs, including seeds, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers, animal feeds, fuel, labour and farm machinery, have significantly increased the financial burden on farmers. Further, adverse climate change on rain-fed agriculture, volatility in international commodity markets due to global conflicts, including the Ukraine war and supply chain disruptions, have also impacted on returns for farmers. On 5th August 2023, the government committed to implement a GMR programme aimed at providing direct financial support to farmers to stabilise their incomes amid market fluctuations. A key pillar of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the GMR prioritises production subsidies and direct support to farmers over consumption subsidies, cushioning farmers from unpredictable market fluctuations, complementing existing market pricing mechanisms and enabling more stable and predictable incomes. Full implementation of the GMR programme is expected to protect farmers’ incomes and prevent artificial price distortions, enhance food security, boost rural incomes and drive economic development in Kenya. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}