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"id": 381622,
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"content": "that is remaining with high potential for expansion is the livestock sector. The livestock sector has a lot of potential in increasing our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), hence, creating more employment opportunities for our people and generally improving the economy. In the past, this country used to have a vibrant livestock industry, but over time, this sector has been starved of resources, especially at the time of the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs), where the issue of cost sharing was brought in and the livestock sector left to depend on itself. While subsidies were being provided in other areas, the livestock sector was starved, and the results are obvious. Where we had controlled diseases, the diseases have crept back. The diseases which we had almost gotten rid of have come back. Even the diseases that affect human beings, like Polio and Chicken Pox, have come back. Madam Temporary Speaker, the main challenge to the livestock keepers in the arid and semi-arid areas, apart from drought, which could be as a result of climate change, is disease control. Normally after drought, when there is lush grass; diseases now step in to finish the few livestock that were left. We seem to be doing nothing. We had the Ministry of Livestock Development, which at one time was joined with agriculture and became the poor cousin of the Ministry of Agriculture, because it was starved of resources. I recall the year 2004 when employment of workers in the agricultural sector was to be done. Agricultural officers were recruited and posted to North Eastern Province, but there was no recruitment of veterinary doctors and livestock experts. Places like Merti had several agricultural officers who were posted there and yet, what they required was livestock officers, particularly the veterinary officers. Madam Temporary Speaker, the SAPs also brought the issue of privatization of veterinary services. As a result, we ended up having veterinary doctors sitting in offices and issuing movement permits only, but not treating the livestock. Some of them eventually forgot their profession and up to now, they are idle because they do not have the facilities. Madam Temporary Speaker, we know that in this country, there was a time when we were exporting animal products to the rest of the world, including Europe. We were the best in Africa, but over time, because of diseases, restrictions came and we cannot export. A country like Botswana came to study from us how to run a factory like Kenya Meat Commission. Right now, they are depending on livestock. They are far much ahead, yet we were ahead of them. As we talk about ranching in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), for purposes of genetic resources and restocking in the event that the ASALs run out of stock, we should not forget to retain a few ranches in the high potential areas. Therefore, farms like the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC), which are remaining, should be used for livestock propagation instead of crop. If you go to Kitale today, we are using the ADC farms to grow maize and the livestock sector is going. Madam Temporary Speaker, we have a very rich genetic resource; our indigenous animals like the Boran cattle. I believe that Sen. Hargura should be the patented owner, but I understand that it was patented elsewhere. We are almost losing the Boran cattle, which is priced elsewhere in this world, and nobody seems to be concerned. Madam Temporary Speaker, we should also look into the area of range management. There was a time that we used to control grazing, so that we reserve certain areas for times of emergency, but that is no longer there. If you went to Kajiado today, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}