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{
    "id": 392165,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/392165/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
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    "content": "has talked about subsidized fertilizers and I would like to urge that we subsidize all the farm inputs. It is my request to the Senate that we need to exhaustively discuss the problems facing farmers in our country. When we talk about farming, this forms the majority of our population and these are the people that should be empowered and motivated. We all know that there are so many idle youth and if we do not motivate the farmer, these youth will not be encouraged to engage in farming. Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to talk about various Acts of Parliament with regard to agriculture which have not been repealed for a long time. It is my request that the Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources revisits those Acts. I am talking about the farmer because the Government does not have a strategy or policy on the three issues that pertain to farming; production, processing and marketing. Today, farmers just toil but in the end, there is no profit. This does not motivate our Kenyan farmers. I would request that we look into issues that relate to production, processing and adding value to our farm produce. There was a Senator who talked about value-addition, and we really need to look into the issue of value-addition because in some parts of this country, there are those who are planting vegetables and other crops that need value addition. This will motivate the farmers and improve their production. There is also the issue of research which was raised by Sen. (Dr.) Machage. This is key, and I think there is need to do a research on our soils in order to know what we are supposed to plant, where and when. I am moved by this Motion and although Sen. Muthama talked about the coffee and tea farmers, I would suggest that we talk about the dairy, fish, wheat, maize and all the other farmers in the country because at the end of the day, they are all farmers. I do not think who will come up with an amendment or I could request Sen. Muthama to improve on his Motion so that all the farmers are included. When it comes to subsidies, it is not about fertilizer alone, but all the farm inputs. This is the only way we can motivate farmers. It came to my mind the other day that the problems facing the Baragoi people could be alleviated if we introduced other kinds of farming in those areas through irrigation. This could reduce the kind of conflicts that some parts of this country are facing. In the Baragoi area, for example, it is only about livestock, but suppose the Government came up with a strategy of introducing other kinds of farming through irrigation, probably this will promote peace and minimize conflicts. Madam Temporary Speaker, we should repeal some of the old Acts of Parliament that relate to agriculture. We know, for example, that at the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), loans are available but the interest is so high. It is our mandate as Senators to discuss the problems facing Kenyan famers because they form the majority of the Kenyan population and without them, we probably would not be sitting here. I know each and every Senator had breakfast in the morning. It is because of the farmers that we have a healthy Kenyan nation. With these few remarks, I support."
}