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{
    "id": 190578,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/190578/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 50,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. M.M. Ali",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Ministry of State for Special Programmes",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 74,
        "legal_name": "Ali Mohamud Mohamed",
        "slug": "ali-mohamud-mohamed"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) Relief food is distributed on a need basis only. People are given relief food only if they require and deserve it. They may require relief assistance if and when their normal livelihood is disrupted by natural or man-made disasters, thus making them unable to fend for themselves. For examples, natural disasters like drought and floods can destroy the ability of people to fend for themselves. Likewise, man-made disasters like violence or conflicts can render people destitute and unable to cater for themselves. July 3, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1621 As to the criteria used to distribute food in cases of natural disasters, the Government assesses such disasters in a multi-agency team composed of the relevant Government Ministries and the United Nations (UN) agencies to establish how the disaster has impacted on the food security situation of the people. In case of drought, an assessment exercise is normally carried out twice a year, namely, after the short rains in February and after the long rains in July. A programme is arranged for people to be fed appropriately. (b) Turkana District has been one of the districts that have been benefiting from relief food since this programme was started. As such, I want to bring to the attention of the House the fact that until last year, the three districts have been the larger Turkana District. The statistics, which are attached herewith, until last year, are, therefore, for the larger Turkana region. The relief food given to Turkana District by the Ministry from 2005 to 2008 is tabulated in the table attached. It can be seen from the table, in 2005, they got 42,350 bags and so on. The hon. Member can read the table because it is well written. The other kind of intervention is from Emergency Operation Programme (EMO) which is done by the Government of Kenya in conjunction with the World Food Programme (WFP). The table is also hereby attached. It is quite detailed because it shows the food that has been given to the larger Turkana region. As far as part (c) of the Question is concerned, the Government attaches a lot of importance to matters of food security in the country. This is because unless people have got food security, no meaningful economic activity can be carried out. To this end, it should be noted that various Ministries are tasked to carry out food security matters since they touch on issues of water availability, livestock, agricultural production and even availability and prices of food commodities in the market. With regard to what the Government is doing to ensure that people are not affected adversely by such kind of disasters, it has put in place a Strategic Grain Reserve. The current four million bags have been enhanced so that six million bags will be imported this financial year alone. The same has been enhanced so that in 2009/2010, eight million bags will be imported. The Government also provides inputs through the Ministry of Agriculture using programmes like National Agriculture Acceleration Inputs and Offered Seed Programme. The Government will also import three million bags of maize to meet any shortfall of maize by August, 2008. The Government also facilitates the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to import fertiliser for top-dressing now and planting next year."
}