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"id": 177239,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/177239/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Mwiria",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology",
"speaker": {
"id": 190,
"legal_name": "Valerian Kilemi Mwiria",
"slug": "kilemi-mwiria"
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also have to take advantage of technology, generally. It has often been said that the real gap between the industrialised countries and the developing ones is the technological gap. Countries that are more advanced in technology also happen to be advanced economically and in all other sectors. So, until we bridge this gap by taking advantage of technology, we are going to always lag behind the countries that were the first to take advantage of technology. In fact, we also cannot decide to only adopt certain technologies. We cannot say that once we adopt this technology selectively, then we cannot adopt other technologies. We are adopting technology everywhere; that is, in the area of IT, education, science, transportation and so on. Most 3756 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 2, 2008 of the things we do these days, including the way we behave, dress and eat, are products of new changes. It sounds strange that we are only willing to accommodate certain changes and not others. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as we embrace technology in the context of a law that already prevents us from being exposed to the negative aspects of it, we, of course, will have to seek other alternatives in terms of how we can expand our food reserves like the Minister for Agriculture was saying the other day. We need to look at how we can take advantage of our traditional food crops and diversity, generally. We also need to explore other income-generating opportunities for young people so that we all do not depend on agriculture. We already know where this technology has been embraced, for example, in the area of banana tissue culture, we are able to have adequate bananas to eat and export. In fact, if you go to Imenti South, the farmers in that constituency are very much dependant on export of bananas that are products of this technology. This is also happening in other parts of Kenya, including Kisiiland. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, a point has been made already about the soaring food prices. It has been said that a good proportion of the continent is dependent on imported grain and about 20 million Africans are dependent on food aid. It has also been said that another 200 million Africans do not have food security. We, therefore, need to come up with strategies to ensure that we reduce the negative consequences of this situation or, at least, reduce our begging culture. There is no way we are going to stop depending on developed countries unless we try to be self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency can be promoted through the use of technologies such us biotechnology. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as we legislate, we must also take other measures, including lobbying with our people. Members of Parliament will be very key in terms of spreading the gospel and explaining the benefits of this technology. In fact, Kenyans should not fear so much. Already, there is a law in place to ensure that some of those fears are not justified. This particular law is to ensure that some of those fears are not justified. We should mind the way we package messages, say, in simple and technical languages, or in local languages over the radio, on television, or write articles in the newspapers in order to explain what it is we are talking about. That way, people will not have a phobia about something that is only a problem because they have not understood it well. Let us also focus much more on the vulnerable. The people we should target the most are those who are food insecure, that is, the poor people who are in rural communities, people in the remote parts of the country, the youth and women who have to spend hours on end to eke out a living from small pieces of land. These kind of people will be quicker to accept the benefits of this technology because they are already vulnerable and they are looking for a solution to their continued misery. Finally, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we should not bring politics into this business. We cannot afford to just talk politics and bring politics into issues of food when there are people who are hungry. Just because we have fed well ourselves, we should not limit the opportunity of those who are suffering to get, at least, one decent meal. Biotechnology is going to provide us with that opportunity. If we look at this issue from the point of view of sympathising with those who are not so lucky and who are the majority, I think we have a responsibility as Members of Parliament, to ensure that this Bill is passed so that we can take advantage of this technology for the benefit of the majority of Kenyans. It will benefit us in the areas of our economy, trade, health and environment. I urge our colleagues to support this Bill. If there are any issues, let us bring them to discussion during the Committee Stage so that we can make the relevant amendments. However, let us seize this opportunity to give Kenyans this Bill that has been discussed since 1995. I beg to support."
}