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{
    "id": 360432,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/360432/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 168,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Letimalo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 68,
        "legal_name": "Raphael Lakalei Letimalo",
        "slug": "raphael-letimalo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I want to agree with my colleagues who have said that we need to appreciate that over 80 per cent of Kenya’s land mass is actually arid and semi-arid. The main economic activity in these ASAL areas is livestock rearing. That is what actually constitutes family income and food security. It is important to note that the livestock subsector earns the country substantial foreign exchange through export of live animals, hides and skins, dairy products and raw materials for the agro industry. This subsector has continually faced major challenges. In my view, this livestock subsector has not performed well. This is because right from Independence the subsector has been faced with splits and merges to the extent that when the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Livestock are merged into one devolvement efforts seem to be inclined towards agriculture and the livestock side is neglected. The Jubilee Government has shown interest in having a lean Government and the two sides, that is agriculture and livestock, have been merged again. The Government needs to show interest by promoting livestock production and veterinary services. The Government needs to establish research institutions and intensify livestock extension services by providing cattle dips and acaricides to combat tick-borne diseases. The most important thing we request the Government to do is that they should provide credit facilities to livestock farmers. We know that livestock farmers, especially pastoralists, do not have collateral to enable them acquire loans from banks. It is important that the Government comes up with ways of assisting them to acquire loans. I beg to support."
}