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{
    "id": 1569753,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1569753/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nambale, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Geoffrey Mulanya",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak on this Bill. As Members of this House, we need to expedite its legislation so that we can enact it into law. As has been stated, agriculture is the backbone of our economy. If we improve agriculture, we undoubtedly improve our economy. For a very long time, farmers in this nation have been left to fend for themselves. The Government has even attempted to subsidise fertiliser, but one must ask the question: as we provide this subsidy and supply this fertiliser, do we have enough trained officers to advise farmers across various regions on the appropriate fertiliser for their farms? The answer is no, as there is a lack of legislation and policy addressing this issue. I am thrilled to have a Bill that seeks to introduce an agricultural and livestock service policy. This is key in ensuring that our farmers have a resource for seeking advice, whether related to crops or livestock. Although agriculture is a devolved function, there is an urgent need for coordination between the two levels of government to effectively support farmers. If we leave this solely to the county governments, they may not be able to provide the necessary services to ensure our farmers are properly supported. Section 3 of the Bill seeks to foster coordination and collaboration in external services involving the national Government, county government, non-governmental organisations, educational institutions, research bodies, and other non-state actors. Due to the vacuum that has existed, many non-governmental organisations have stepped in, supplying various crops and encouraging farmers to plant them without adequate research. They also provide dairy cattle to farmers, but once a dairy farmer receives these cattle, there is often no veterinary service available to them. Consequently, many farmers resort to hiring unqualified individuals to treat their animals. Section 4 establishes the national extension services policy, which is extensive and far- reaching in regard to the capacity development of these services. We know that emerging issues arise in every sector; even in agriculture, we have farmers who are experiencing crop failure. This is not due to insufficient rain or inadequate fertiliser application; rather, it may be due to a lack of soil sampling conducted on their farms to advise them on which specific seeds are suitable for planting in their particular region. There is simply insufficient guidance to our 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."
}