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{
    "id": 1569736,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569736/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 204,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Saku, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ali Raso",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I agree with you. People must bide their time. Thank you for this opportunity. I rise to support this very important Bill. I want to share an experience with the House. A few weeks ago, I visited the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Machakos, and I met a gentleman called Bishop Masika of Christ is the Answer Ministries (CITAM) Church. Interestingly, he has this scientific approach to food production where he concentrates on one acre as the basic unit area for maximum food production. In our discussion, what he told me has been imprinted in my mind. He said there are no dry lands. There are only dry minds. That is real and poignant. Agriculture contributes 22 to 24 per cent to our GDP. Of this, between 8 and 9 per cent is contributed by livestock. This is how important agriculture is to this country, and how important livestock is in food production. I want to share what Hon. Keynan just said before me. Many years ago, at the beginning of the Republic of Kenya, there were many things we were getting right, particularly in the area of livestock production. For those of us who come from the livestock-producing areas, the Livestock Marketing Board (LMD), the extension officers and the Range Management Officers contributed significantly to production in the livestock sector. Although agriculture remains the backbone of our economy, many think that the soft industries are the ones that are driving our economy. But that is far from the truth. Agriculture remains the anchor of all these other sectors of our economy. Walk around Nairobi, Mombasa or the other major cities, and there is the feeling that the service industry is what runs our economy. I do not believe that is true. Those service industries exist as a result of our efforts in agriculture. That is why this Bill is significant. It must be a milestone in our legislation as legislators of the 13th Parliament. We must put our names on paper. 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."
}