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{
    "id": 223337,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/223337/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 89,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Kituyi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 293,
        "legal_name": "Mukhisa Kituyi",
        "slug": "mukhisa-kituyi"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not think that I understand clearly what is \"all that is going on.\" But let me hazard a guess, that if we are talking about the new fad about carbon and flight miles, which is particularly making Marks and Spencer and TESCO to start labelling products that have been flown into Europe as a way of saying that they have been polluting the environment, a matter that is a major threat to this country; I agree that although this is not an EU regulation, the fact that some of the main consumers of Kenyan horticultural produce have stated labelling products imported by air, in a way to suggest that they are adding the carbon dioxide in the outer space, we have taken some measures. At my initiative, on 11th April, 2007, we sent a delegation from my Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and Export Promotion Council to London. Jointly, with our High Commissioner in London, they held meetings with the management of TESCO and Marks and Spencer to go over the specifics of what is at issue. I have personally lobbied the Minister in charge of Development Co-operation in Britain, who has made a personal and very public commitment to help show the truth; that there is no damage to the ozone done by keeping short-season produce of horticulture from Europe in freezers throughout the year, than in flying fresh Kenyan produce, particularly on passenger flights. We are engaged towards establishing a standing committee domiciled at the Ministry of Agriculture, to deal specifically with all the issues that are being raised on the carbon miles debate. The specific things that we have done include the following: (i) We are seeking a buy-in by the Kenya Government into the promotion of horticulture into Britain which has been done prior to now by industry lobbies. (ii) Secondly, Kenya is mounting a standing initiative through the National Economic and Social Council to continue promoting Kenyan expanded horticultural exports particularly in the United Kingdom which has been the main area where there has been this problem. (iii) We are initiating more debate and public awareness both in Kenya and Britain on the mode of the debate about carbon footprints and the dangers it poses particularly to the vulnerable poor who are dependent on this market for their livelihoods. On matters of the European Union market, our Ministry substantially with the Ministry of Agriculture have worked in strengthening particularly the weaker producers of horticulture to be compliant with the requirement of traceability; that there has not been any significant erosion of market share because of this new regulation."
}