Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 31190,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/31190/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 87,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kingi",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Fisheries Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 27,
        "legal_name": "Amason Jeffah Kingi",
        "slug": "amason-kingi"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to reply. (a) I am aware that there is a shortage of staff. (b) I am also aware that there was a shortage of nets. (c) To address (a) above, the Ministry has done the following. 1. Recruited 100 fisheries officers during the 2009/2010 financial year; 2. The Ministry has advertised vacancies for additional fisheries extension officers in the 2010/2011 financial year. Following the advertisement, the Ministry recruited 287 of the anticipated 480 extension officers. This was due to shortage of applicants with the requisite qualifications. We have distributed the recruited staff to all the constituencies. The vacant positions will be readvertised this financial year. 3. The Ministry has procured and distributed 155 motor cycles to constituencies to enable the officers to cover more ground. 4. The Ministry has trained 60 farmers in hatchery management, so that they can produce good quality seeds. To address (b) above; the shortage of nets, the Ministry has: 1. supplied 368 harvesting nets to farmers clusters; 2. trained farmers on collection by hand after draining the ponds; 3. linked net traders to farmers and trained farmers on modalities of acquiring the nets. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Ministry has gone ahead to put in place mechanisms that will ensure that the production of fish from ponds is of high standard. These measures include: 1. development of a draft Manual on Standard Operating Procedures (MSOP) for quality fish assurance; this has been completed. This draft can be used as a guide. The draft will be presented to stakeholders for comments before a final manual is produced. 2. Development of standards for fish feeds and seeds. These are in various stages of completion. This will ensure that our fish remains suitable for local and international markets. It will also enable farmers to trade in the regional markets. 3. The Ministry is in the process of providing marketing infrastructure. The process of construction of mini-processing and cold storage facilities is on course with award of tenders for constructions of four mini-processing plants at Rongo, Imenti South, Kakamega and Tetu. The construction will start as soon as the contracts are signed by the end of August this year. A further nine processing plants have been planned for construction this financial year."
}