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"id": 181376,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/181376/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Muriithi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Industrialization",
"speaker": {
"id": 91,
"legal_name": "Ndiritu Muriithi",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support this Sessional Paper because the livestock sector is, in fact, a very significant sector. Let me, from the very beginning, congratulate the Minister for bringing this Sessional Paper before the House. I believe it will allow us, as a country, to realise the vast potential of that sector. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, good management practice is that we benchmark ourselves against others. If we were to compare the total value realised from that sector to that of Botswana, the herd size or the number of animals that they have is far less than ours, but the total value realised by that sector is four times what we realise. So, I believe that by setting a proper policy, it will assist this country to realise that very great potential that, that sector has. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if we were to compare - and the Minister has said that we have done well in the last few years by increasing milk production in this country--- The Minister reported that we are now producing 4.5 billion litres of milk annually. But if we were to compare that, for example, with the production in New Zealand, a country which is far smaller in geographical size but with a similar herd size as ourselves, New Zealand is producing 12.5 billion litres of milk annually. So, we have a sector that has a great potential. But we must exploit it! We must work to realise that potential and that is why I am saying we must congratulate the Minister for bringing this Sessional Paper. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, many people may not realize but, where I hail from in Rumuruti in Laikipia, we have one of the largest livestock auctions. Once a week, we get together and trade in excess of 1,000 animals, camels included. So, this matter is of great importance to us in Laikipia. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me make some two specific proposals to the Minister. I want to urge him, as he rightly pointed out, that we are not exporting as we should, because we are no longer able to convince the world that we have disease-free zones. One of the challenges is that many of the holding grounds that existed, and provided the underlying mechanisms for disease control, have been grabbed. I want to urge the Minister to move with determination and speed to repossess those holding grounds. From Rumuruti to the boundary with Ethiopia, most holding grounds that served us as the animals moved towards the off-take points are now in private hands. We will not be able to go back and point to where we are exporting our beef, mutton and live animals as we should. Therefore, I want to suggest to the Minister that he does so, indeed. Secondly, I want to urge the Minister to assist us to brand our products. Internationally in the leather trade, those countries that have been able to realise very good potential from leather, it is because they have been able to brand; so, now people talk of \"Botswana leather\". So, I want to urge the Minister to assist us in branding. We would like to see us being able to talk of leather from Laikipia, Garissa or Isiolo in the international market. With regard to milk production, as I said, it is commendable that we are now at 4.5 billion October 30, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3205 litres of milk per annum, and we have the potential to do twice or three times this amount. So, I want to urge the Minister--- Milk production, as he rightly points out, has a lot to do with the genetic material that we have. Because of the structural adjustments programmes and other reasons that made the Government cut back on certain services, we no longer subsidise artificial insemination (AI) services in this country, contrary to what our competitors are doing. Therefore, the animals we have are producing a tenth, or perhaps a quarter, of their potential. I believe that time has come and I urge the Minister to set a specific target, so that in this country, we aim at providing no less than 2.5 million AIs every year. At the moment, we are only providing less than 400,000 AIs per year. I believe that time has come for us to set a very specific target, and I urge the Minister to do so, so that we can bring back milk production. This has enormous potential for us, as a country. If we look at COMESA, for example, a market that is in excess of 400 million people; if we can double our milk production, there is no reason why we should not be supplying powdered milk to this very significant market. This would have enormous backward linkages, because already, we have quite a number of processors in the country. If we are able to double or triple milk production, by definition, we will have to have twice, or maybe, three times, as many processors and, therefore, create a great deal of jobs in this country. So, just to re-state my points again, I wish to urge the Minister, as I support this excellent effort, to bring a policy--- I urge him to set, as the very minimum, a target of 2.5 million AIs per year. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}