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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Sessional Paper No.2. I would like to salute and congratulate the Minister for Livestock Development for having brought this Sessional Paper No.2. This sessional paper is long overdue. I think the last time we had a serious discussion about livestock in this country was over 40 years ago. The last 3848 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 3, 2008 time we had a livestock census in Kenya was either in 1962 or 1963, that is, over 44 years ago. If we do not even know the number of livestock that we have in this country, how will we manage them? How will we even plan to market and use them as a resource in this nation? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Sessional Paper addresses many critical issues that will enable the livestock industry to thrive if it is supported. Much of the livestock market in this country is in the hands of the private sector - largely middlemen and cartels which have exploited livestock farmers for a very long time. As we speak, today, in this country, we do not have one formal market for our livestock. We take our goats to Kariobangi and cows to Dandora where middlemen dictate the price of the market that morning knowing that the farmers have brought the livestock from as far as North Horr, Mandera, Turkana and so on. They also know that the farmers do not have a holding ground for the animals. So, basically, the farmers sell their livestock at a throwaway price. This is because, before the end of the day, they have to sell the animals. In any case, they have nowhere to take them. If there are people in this country who have been marginalised, then it is pastoralists and livestock producers. The livestock keepers are unable to access markets in this country, but they cross the porous borders of northern Kenya and sell the animals in Ethiopia, Somalia and other areas. The livestock is then exported to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other many countries in Asia. The animals are affected with diseases and as a result, they cannot access the markets in Kenya. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, just this month alone, over 10,000 animals have been sold from northern Kenya to Ethiopia and Somalia. They are then exported to Saudi Arabia and many other Arab states. You can imagine the amount of revenue this country is losing because of deliberate policy impediment that does not enable livestock farmers to access external markets. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if the livestock sector is well managed, it will contribute substantially to the national economy. If you take the example of Botswana, the livestock sector in that country earns it so much revenue. I am told it contributes over 50 per cent to the economy of Botswana. I think we have more cows, goats, camels and sheep in Kenya than Botswana, but our Government, up to now, has not seen the need to invest and exploit this sector for the common good of this nation. Pastoralists in northern Kenya and other parts of the country have been reduced to surviving on hand-outs and food aid for almost over 40 years now. This is simply because their main economy, that is, livestock keeping, has not been enabled to thrive. Any human being, including a pastoralist, would like to lead a dignified life, being able to support his family. He should be in a position to support his children in school and pay for his expenses without depending on any person. Basically, not investing in the livestock economy in the pastoral areas amounts to condemning the pastoralists to an undignified of life depending on food aid for over 40 years. If this policy document is supported fully, then the need for pastoralists to depend on food aid year in, year out, will reduce substantially. This Sessional Paper No.2 also tries to address the issue of drought management. Drought is a phenomenon that could easily be managed. It is easily predictable and, therefore, you can prepare for and mitigate it. You can also have some recovery measures in place. It is just like winter in Europe. You know that it will be there for six months and so you prepare for it. You, basically, look for fodder for your livestock and prepare their shelter. That way, they will survive for the six months the whole pasture is covered in snow. If those animals are left to wander, they are likely to die due to the cold weather or lack of pasture. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Sessional Paper also tries to address the issues of mitigation interventions as well as institutionalising the necessary mechanisms for emergency livestock off take, which I think is very important. During drought, pastoralists lose, in terms of revenue, billions of shillings when the animals die due to lack of water and pasture. That resource December 3, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3849 goes to waste. This situation needs to be turned around so that this resource that is wasted during severe drought actually contributes to our national economy. It runs into billions of shillings. We need to do what is necessary to support the livestock economy. It really bothers when you have so many State corporations in the country supporting other livelihoods. For example, we have the Kenya Dairy Board, the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya, the Tea Board of Kenya, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and so on. We have so many State corporations supporting crop farmers. Why can we not have any supporting livestock producers? Kenya Meat Commission, as is set up today, is not there to support livestock producers in arid and marginalised areas. For one to access that particular facility, you really have to overcome many stringent measures which a normal pastoralist from northern Kenya might not be able to adhere to. We talk about the Dairy Board but, for sure, it is not serving the needs of pastoralists in northern Kenya. We have the National Cereals and Produce Board that stabilizes the prices of maize in the market. It makes sure that it does not go below Kshs1,600 or above Kshs2,100. Why do we not do the same for camel, goat and cattle producers of northern Kenya? Why are we having double standards? Are we saying that one category of crop producers are more superior to livestock producers? It is high time we addressed these critical issues if we are really committed to serve and support all Kenyans. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Government should set aside funds to invest in livestock health. When we have disease outbreaks in those areas, the first thing we hear from the Government is quarantine. That is a very easy mechanism of restricting the movement of animals and nothing else. Why do we not go for effective measures like vaccination or investing in antibiotics and other drugs, to save those animals? It is just a decree by the livestock authorities to even further restrict the movement of those animals. That decree further restricts those livestock producers from accessing pasture in neighbouring territories or even transporting the animals from northern Kenya to Nairobi. I have no problem with quarantine. For sure, it is one measure of controlling animal diseases. However, I think it has been taken out of context and even used as a measure to punish pastoralists, instead of supporting them. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Paper also addresses the issue of insecurity in northern Kenya. It is a major problem. But security could be tied to the need for resources. Most of those conflicts are resource-based. They happen due to poverty, lack of market and severe drought which take away most of the animals. That is because we do not provide them with the necessary facilities and instruments to manage drought. Pastoralists, then turn on each other and conduct raids to steal livestock as they aim to restock their animals after the drought or severe climate variations. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if we address the issue of livestock markets and livestock production in totality, we will also be able to address the issue of insecurity. That is, most of the insecurity that we have is resource-based. It is not fun for pastoralists to go for each other's throat every day. I also appreciate the fact that the Paper addresses the issue of camel production. That is one particular animal in this country that hardly has any market. Yet, camel is one animal that can produce milk all year round. If you have ten or 15 camels in an enabling environment, the family can survive on that milk. They can even sell that milk to support their families. As a nation, we need to invest in camel production. We should see it as a major resource just as the cows, goats and other livestock units. This Paper should be refined to address the issue of livestock insurance. It talks about livestock credit, which is a good idea. But we need livestock insurance for our livestock. Although the Paper addresses the issue of pastoralism, it hardly says anything about mobility. I think mobility is a critical factor that needs to be considered in livestock production. Mobility, if it is well managed and practised, will enable the conservation of that very 3850 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 3, 2008 fragile arid land ecosystems. It will also enable us to utilize pastures evenly as people move from one point to another at different times of the year. It has been partly successful in Spain, Iran, Mongolia and many countries in Europe, and even Asia. So, I hope that this Sessional Paper, as it addresses the issue of pastoralism, will also address the issue of mobility. I think it is a cardinal aspect for enabling us to have a very viable pastoralism. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, to conclude, it is very important that, that sector is supported. The policies expounded in this Paper should be implemented with immediate effect. If this Paper is implemented well, it will make a big difference in the lives of so many Kenyans. If this country is serious about reducing poverty; if it is serious about realizing Vision 2030, this is one sector that this Government needs to invest in seriously. With those few remarks, I support this Sessional Paper."
}