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"content": "keeping. The livestock sub-sector contributes about 12 per cent of the GDP, but what is ploughed back is less than one per cent. I believe that is not very fair. We appreciate that agriculture is given all the attention; every small project has a statutory body that markets it; and example is pyrethrum. Unfortunately, the only statutory body that markets livestock is the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), which has been closing down year in, year out. Up to now it is yet to stand on its feet. The turnover of the livestock sector is about Kshs48 billion per year. There are also other multiplier effects like supply to agro industries from the meat, the bones, the blood and the manure. As you are aware, this country imports a lot of fertilizer when we have a lot of green manure that is not utilized in this country. Most Kenyans do not like taking white meat, except our brothers, the vegetarians. We are yet to appreciate the livestock sector. People see it as an archaic way of life or an agonizing kind of system. When it comes to meat consumption, everybody enjoys it. We need to appreciate taking the meat and also keeping the animals. This sector employs about 6.5 million Kenyans directly, and accounts for about 50 per cent of our labour force, especially in the rural areas. However, according to projections we do not support this sector. According to the FAO 2006 Report, this country will be meat deficient come 2014, because the per capita meat consumption is about--- In Nairobi alone it is about 10 kilogrammes and in Mombasa it is about 18 kilogrammes per person per year. If we do not take care of our animals and we do not insure them, then this country is going to import meat from outside very soon. In addition to that, for us to spur economic growth, and if we want to increase our GDP from a single digit to double digits, then we need to invest in the livestock sector. We have overinvested in the highlands, where land has been subdivided. The only areas remaining are the pastoral areas. For us to achieve economic growth, we need to focus our priorities on the livestock sector. Hon. Deputy Speaker, livestock keeping has immense potential value. It reduces poverty, manages the environment, creates sustainable development and produces climate resilience. However, pastoralism is seen as an archaic, economically inefficient, chaotic and environmentally destructive activity. This is a very wrong notion. There is no supporting argument. The livestock sector actually survives through the support of the civil societies and multinationals. Without support from these quarters I think our livestock sector would not be in existence, especially in the pastoral areas. This sector has many challenges. One is inadequate statistical information and under-valuation. There is poor investment by the Government, biased information, poor sanitation, lack of statutory marketing bodies and continuous vagaries of weather. We can see somebody who was rich yesterday, as he kept, say, 400 animals and then the next day he is poor! The livestock keepers cannot be surviving on the good will of Kenyans who give them famine relief throughout. I support the Motion, but the livestock sector must enjoy more investment and support from the GDP. We must also have insurance for livestock, so that we are able to sustain the livestock keepers."
}