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{
    "id": 334044,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/334044/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 198,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Namwamba",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I take this early opportunity to commend the Minister for Agriculture for bringing this Bill to the House, especially for two main reasons: One, this Bill does confirm, beyond any reasonable doubt that agriculture which remains the mainstay of the economy of this country has continued to operate under obsolete laws which were enacted during the colonial days, some dating as back as 1923. Many of these laws have been restrictive and have not been able to provide an enabling environment for the kind of modern agriculture that this country needs. The second reason is that this Bill confirms that we have and continue to face the challenge of multiplicity of legislation. There have been too many laws that make it difficult to deal with matters related to agriculture in a coherent and effective manner. Therefore, this Bill comes at the correct time and I am particularly pleased to note that the Bill has also taken due cognizance of the new structure of Government and has paid due regard to the role of the national and county governments in the development of crops, pursuant to the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. This demonstrates that the Bill has paid due regard to the new Constitution and is also responsive to the needs of devolution. It is also impressive to note the declaration of schedule crops as provided in Clause 7 of the Bill. Since it is the first time it is being revised since 1948 it is really incredible. The schedule is comprehensive and includes all crops that are important for this country. That is another commendable step by the Bill. Mr. Speaker, Sir, of great significance is the establishment of the Commodities Fund that is provided for in Clause 9 of the Bill. If you look at the provisions of Clause 9 with regard to the Commodities Fund, you will say that this is what this country has been waiting for to ensure that agriculture is better funded through levies, development partners and grants from the Government. Agriculture, without any doubt requires more funds so that it can grow as fast as we have seen infrastructure grow in the last ten years. We need this growth so that we can get away from the dehumanizing situation of famine or relief food that we so often see in most parts of the country including in my constituency known as Budalangi. We also need this growth so that we can remove poverty and helplessness from our people who live in the rural areas who constitute 70 per cent of our population. Looking at this Bill, I could go on and on but in the interest of time, let me once again commend the Minister who has been progressive and has driven the reform agenda of taking this sector to the next level admirably. With those remarks, I beg to second the Crops Bill, 2012."
}