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{
    "id": 403707,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/403707/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 118,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "happy to note that the Jubilee coalition Government has come out very strongly in ensuring that some subsidies for some of the farm inputs have been offered by the Government. I would propose that besides subsidizing fertilizer, diesel which is used in farming should also be subsidized. It has been done in the developed countries where colouration of diesel is done to ensure that the same fuel is not used in matatus and trucks. If we are to become self sufficient, this matter should be looked at very seriously. The other area that should be looked at very seriously is the issue of our weather department. As I said earlier, this is an area which I am very passionate about. The fact is that we have a weather department that we have been relying on for quite some time; it is also responsible for some of the losses that our farmers have incurred. This is because farmers have apparently been victims of poor weather forecasting. For example, when they are told that it is going to rain during this particular season. They prepare the farms, but it does not happen, at the end of the day, they become severely affected. They are unable to repay the loans even if you peg them at 3 per cent interest rate because the weather does not forgive the farmer. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, currently, we are having problems with our lakes, especially in Nakuru County where Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha are overflowing. I would propose that we build holding dams to hold the water that is flowing into the lakes to be used for irrigation. That way, we will ensure that there is regulation of the water that is getting into the lakes by positively helping our farmers and also by ensuring that one of the Government’s promises is realized through irrigation. What is happening around these lakes is affecting the inflow of tourists. Therefore, Kenyans should embrace farming in a more serious manner. But they can only do so, if the Government also takes into consideration the views that have been expressed by other Senators. They have done this because of the love that they have for our country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, at one time we had drought in the country and I had to fly to Malawi and Zambia to try and source for maize. When I went there, I found that the grade of maize that was being grown there was our No.4 Grade. This means that in terms of farming we can measure the quality. Even the maize that we are growing here is able to give millers a lot of flour. By so doing, it reduces its cost. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks I beg to support."
}