Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 363208,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/363208/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 158,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Speaker, Sir, in Nigeria at one time I had occasion to work with Nigeria on this. They had such a huge subsidy on fertilizer, fuel and so on. All they did was to support agriculture to the extent that, nearly three quarters of their total agricultural budget went to factory subsidies, and sustaining it becomes a problem. If you remember, when they began to withdraw the subsidies, there were major issues, including the stability of the Government at the time. That is the problem with subsidies. You will start with it and it is very difficult to sustain or withdraw it. I like the principle that we should have a dedicated body that looks at the promotion and the marketing of fertilizer, and ultimately actual manufacturing of fertilizer. If you add to their mandate that they should subsidize fertilizer, you will have serious governance issues. You know how our cartels work here in Kenya. A very good idea can easily get spoilt. As the Motion stands, it is planning to give, at least, five initial goals to this new body. These are a lot of goals; if you deal with fertilizer issues--- I read in that report that there could be people who will handle policy issues around the fertilizer and inputs supply. Other farm inputs is the second goal. Supply of fertilizer is the third goal; then there is the setting up of the factory and subsidization process. I think theses are too many goals. Actually, we could narrow it down to what we intend to do, which is to have a dedicated body; that will be extremely important. In conclusion, I would suggest that we look into this matter broadly as we move forward with this; we should look into inputs marketing. So, as we deal with fertilizers we should also deal with other farm inputs. We should concurrently allow room for NCPB type – as I said in the beginning – to be able to sharpen their instruments, so that they can increase supply of maize as well as stop it from rotting outside in Trans-Nzoia and other places under tarpaulins and everybody gets moved. It will be linked to several other factors, including the logistical aspects that move it. Very finally, we had subsidized fertilizer in Kenya a short while ago. I come from Busia, and I had great difficulties finding a single farmer who had accessed it. I hope that next time we have anything like this we will have a chance to interrogate it carefully and make sure there is some fairness and equity in distribution. Hon. Speaker, Sir, I buy fertilizer and use it on millet. I have had to buy it from people who got it from Bungoma side, that is Solai area specifically, but that is secondary market. So, there are major risks when you go into something like this. A good intention can go haywire, as they say. With these few comments, I support the Motion."
}