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{
    "id": 1569666,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569666/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 134,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) John Mutunga Kanyuithia",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "involves crop development, which involves getting better seed varieties and planting materials. We also need better breeds of animals. We need fast maturing animals for beef production and high yielders in terms of milk production from dairy animals. That information cannot be generated and accessed by farmers if there is no organised system of transferring innovations and technologies to them through extension services. The fourth objective is the adoption of a sector-wide approach in provision of extension services, which enables access to appropriate quality services from the best service providers to attain higher productivity, increase income and the standards of living for Kenyans. We are referring to the standards of living for Kenyans because the great majority of Kenyans are aged or depend on agriculture as their major means of livelihood. They may not know where to get the best extension services. We need an extension service where farmers can access technical information from proven experts. As a Committee, we have been looking at how to professionalise agricultural extension services and identify agricultural professionals because we have agri-preneurs or agricultural practitioners who are mainly investors in agricultural input supply and agrochemicals, but are not necessarily qualified to offer extension services. Unfortunately, we do not have a regulatory mechanism to take care of this sector in that respect. We are also coming up with a Bill that will identify and license agricultural technicians and professionals. We shall then be able to clean up the agricultural sector to know who the right people are to offer extension and advisory services. Many other bodies also offer agricultural extension services. We need a mechanism of cleaning up or approving those bodies so that we can be sure that our farmers are getting quality education when it comes to advisory on farming and livestock keeping. The final objective of the Bill is for the provision of financial support to various players in the extension services. The Bill proposes a fundraising mechanism to support extension services. The Bill separates issues to be handled by the national Government and those to be handled by the county governments. The national Government handles issues to do with research because research cannot be localised and research products need to be transferred to all those who may need them. International trade is also domiciled at the national level because international trading systems involve complex agreements. When it comes to trading in agricultural products, competent authorities have been identified across different players, actors, members or parties in a trading system. Only those competent authorities can qualify products for human consumption in various countries in view of the Codex Alimentarius or the international system of qualifying what can be consumed by human beings."
}