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{
"id": 301970,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/301970/?format=api",
"text_counter": 283,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Wamalwa",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 148,
"legal_name": "Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa",
"slug": "eugene-wamalwa"
},
"content": "Information is power. We know that in the 1960s and the 70s, we had extension workers going out to the farmer and advising the farmer on the type of seed that is good for that particular region and the right amount and type of fertilizer to be applied. After sometime in the 1980s when we had the infamous structural adjustment programme (SAPs), this affected many of the things that had been put in place at the time. In fact, when we were trying to pull out the Government from most of these sectors, it affected agriculture. I remember cattle dips and artificial insemination. We had people going to farms and supporting farmers then, but with the SAPs, that came in place and policies that were imposed on this country from outside, farming was greatly affected. I believe that it is possible, with these kinds of policies, for us to recover ground and go out and support the farmers and advise them. There are farmers in this country who are getting as little as ten bags of maize from an acre of land, but with proper information and advice, it is possible to boost production. We have well informed farmers who through technology and access to information are producing 40 bags of maize per acre. Through extension workers reaching out to the farmers, if we can boost the production of particularly the subsistence and the small scale-farmers, we will substantially boost agricultural production. This is because the majorities are not the large-scale farmers. They are the many small-scale farmers on five or ten acres, but who, through the support of the extension workers, can boost their production en mass . Apart from this policy, I want to encourage the Ministry of Agriculture to also come up with a comprehensive national policy on national food security. I believe that such a policy is being developed, but it is time that after this, we can put such a policy in place. We have seen nations such as Malawi, just through policy shift, through leadership, transform from a food insecure nation to not just a food secure nation, but also a nation that is producing not just enough for its citizens, but enough for surplus. We know that the late Bingu wa Mutharika, God rest his soul in eternal peace, though he had difficulties towards the end of reign, when he took over power, he focused on agriculture and brought in new policies such as this one. He transformed his country. Before I joined the Front Bench, I moved a Motion in this House for the establishment of a fertilizer factory in this country. It is possible. We have one of the best seed companies on this continent, namely, the Kenya Seed Company, whose headquarters happens to be in my constituency. It provides the best seed in Africa and in the world. Our neighbours in Tanzania and Uganda are using our seed. If only we had fertilizer and we did not have to wait for those cartels that have to import fertilizer from outside and we do not have to wait for the pirates who waylay the ships and the importation of fertilizer year in, year out, is delayed, we would boost our food production. By the time the fertilizer reaches the farmer, they have been delayed in planting at the right time. This year, the top dressing fertilizer arrived very late. We expected that it should be here at the beginning of the planting season, but it was not. It was long after May that it reached us. Many farmers are frustrated. When the crop is not given fertilizer at the right time, it affects the yield. When the yield is low, the Kenyan farmer is poorer. I believe that it is possible with proper policies such as this one. It is time now that the Motion that was passed unanimously by this House is adopted and we now as a country put in place measures to ensure that we establish a fertilizer factory here. We have, in the past, talked about a fertilizer factory in this country. You remember the KenRen story right from the 1970s. As a nation, we are aware of the need of establishing a fertilizer factory in this country. Because of corruption, to date, we have not yet established a fertilizer factory. We still continue to pay for a non-existing fertilizer factory. I believe that it is not too late. When the Motion was passed in this House, feasibility studies were commenced. I am happy to note from the Minister for Agriculture that indeed, these studies are being concluded and in the near future, we will be having a fertilizer factory. If that does not happen in the Kibaki presidency, I believe that when Wamalwa becomes the President of this Republic that will be my top priority to establish a fertilizer factory to remove this nation from the list of the food insecure nations of the world. Apart from the list of corruption, this is an area that I feel very passionate about as a farmer. I want to congratulate the Minister for developing such a good policy. It is one that we need to be implemented like yesterday for the farmers out there to be given support by the Government. They should be given the necessary information on technological development and support from the Government. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}