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{
    "id": 248397,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/248397/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 310,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Bahari",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 156,
        "legal_name": "Abdul Bahari Ali Jillo",
        "slug": "bahari-ali-jillo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to make my contribution to this Bill, because I believe it is a very important Bill. This is because the poverty level in the country has been on the increase. As you know, one thing that the Government has been struggling to do is to reduce the level of poverty in our country. Poverty is one of the things that have been identified and we need to work hard to reduce it. The real situation on the ground is that poverty has been on the increase. Of late, especially in the areas occupied by pastoralists, the situation has been worsened by drought. In fact, nearly 80 per cent of the livestock belonging to pastoralists perished. The communities that keep these animals have been rendered poor and are now classified together with others who are faced with abject poverty. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the relevance of what I am saying is that cotton does fairly well in some ASAL areas. In areas where rivers flow, cotton does even better. When I was in secondary school, I used to see the people living around the Ewaso-Ng'iro North Belt grow cotton and take it to Meru where there was a ginnery. I remember that some of my friends would pay school fees from the proceeds their parents earned from the sale of cotton. Therefore, in order to improve the lives of those communities that live in marginal areas; and in view of the fact that due to cattle rustling life has become nearly impossible because of conflict, this can be one of the ways to ensure that these communities make use of the soil and water in their environment in a better way. June 6, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1139 I am surprised that people in those areas which used to grow cotton within Isiolo and the Tana Belt are now doing literally nothing. All they can do now is to wait for famine relief. You know how much money famine relief costs this country every year. We have tended to address the symptoms rather than the root causes of poverty and other problems in this country. This Bill has been brought at the right time so that cotton production and marketing can be properly supported by the State and used as one of the ways to alleviate poverty in the ASAL areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important because over 80 per cent of our country is arid and semi-arid. However, that does not mean that we cannot produce cash crops and turn around the economy of this country. It is through the production of crops like cotton that we shall be able to turn around the economy of those that have been marginalised. This will be in addition to what already exists in terms of livestock production. We know that 50 per cent of livestock in this country is produced in the ASAL areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that needs to be looked at in cotton production is the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). All along, Kenyans have not fully taken advantage of the AGOA. I do not recall seeing any increase in the production of cotton anywhere in this country. On the contrary, what we have done is to import cotton into this country and then produce material for export to the European market. It is extremely important and, in fact, long overdue that the Ministry responsible moves with speed to ensure that cotton production and marketing are properly supported so that this country can take advantage of the AGOA. We all know that agriculture is the backbone of our economy. With cotton, there could be a lot of other related back and forward leakages which this country will be required to take advantage of. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}