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{
"id": 250952,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/250952/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Munyao",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 279,
"legal_name": "Joseph Konzolo Munyao",
"slug": "joseph-munyao"
},
"content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. In January, 2006, the Ministry proposed a budget of Kshs4.2 billion to mitigate the effects of the prevailing drought. This budget was based on a 10 per cent livestock re-stocking exercise. The budget was later reviewed in accordance with the budgetary limitations and was forwarded to the Treasury. I wish to inform the House that the Treasury released Kshs400 million to fund livestock emergency interventions in the ASAL districts. The money was used to undertake the following activities:- (i) A sum of Kshs290 million was used to purchase livestock in 15 ASAL districts, through the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) and the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC). (ii) The ADC bought 13,675 of cattle. Out of this number 931 were slaughtered and re- distributed as relief food to the vulnerable people in various communities. (iii) The AFC disbursed Kshs100 million as loans to ranchers and individuals to purchase livestock in the affected districts. (iv) A sum of Kshs97 million was used to purchase and transport animal feeds as well as provide strategic water for livestock through tankering. This activity was mainly intended to support the core breeding herd. (v) A sum of Kshs13 million has been used for disease control through procurement of drugs and vaccines. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am also glad to report that the Treasury recently released Kshs100 million to the Ministry which is being used to enhance livestock disease control, among other interventions. Despite the above emergency measures, my Ministry recognises that the sources of livelihood for most communities in the ASAL areas will have greatly diminished as a result of recurrent drought. In view of this, the Ministry is considering a number of medium and long-term measures to address the current and future droughts. The medium-term measures under consideration include:- Re-stocking of livestock, bulking for reseeding of the grazing areas, strategic livestock feed conservation, that is hay production, and, of course, re-opening the Kenya Meat Commission May 2, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 815 (KMC), which will help farmers. In the long-term, the Ministry, with other stakeholders, will endeavour to undertake the following:- Establish and operationalise disease-free zones to enhance marketing of livestock, strengthen and expand national livestock managing information and systems and, of course, invest in value addition in livestock products at source through establishment of abattoirs, rural dairies and small leather processing factories. In order to undertake the above measures, I would require more budgetary allocations in the coming financial year. In this regard, I am proposing an addition of funds to support this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me focus the rest of my presentation on the issue of the Avian Flu Situation in Kenya. I am aware that this disease is quite strange to most of us and it may be good for me to use a few minutes to update hon. Members about it. The Avian Flu is a highly contagious disease that normally affects birds and to a lesser degree, pigs. It has also been recently found to affect the cat family. The disease spreads rapidly and widely across countries and has a potential to spread to humans with a possibility of causing human pandemic. The outbreak of Avian Flu began in South East Asia in May, 2003. It later spread to Europe and has recently been reported in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Egypt, Niger, Cameroon and Sudan. Further spread of the virus along the migratory routes is possible because bird migration is a recurring event. Countries that lie along the flight pathways of birds migrating from Central Asia and Europe are at risk of introducing the virus to the domestic poultry flocks. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Ministerial Statement is a bit long and I will lay it on the Table. Since the issue of the Avian Flu is being discussed all over the world, we, as Parliament, need to support the Ministry's views."
}