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{
    "id": 433888,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/433888/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Gichigi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1909,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Kamunye Gichigi",
        "slug": "samuel-kamunye-gichigi"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to support this Bill with amendments. It is true that agriculture is the backbone or our economy. Over 80 per cent of the economy of my Kipipiri Constituency is derived from agricultural activities. We have not done enough in agriculture in this country. When you look at what other countries like Israel are doing, it is a shame that 50 years after Independence, we are still importing food while our soils can sustain any crop that can be grown anywhere in the world. It is, indeed, a shame that we have had Ministers for Agriculture and agricultural officers for 50 years, but we are still suffering. The proposal of emphasizing on one management of the production of fertilizer and animal feeds is overdue. It should have happened many years ago. However, I am not comfortable with the creation of another body that will again demand from the public coffers the financing of allowances and other expenditure. The current trend is to collapse the many parastatals that we have in the same sector to one big organization that is going to deal with these issues. While I support the initiative proposed by this Bill, let us look at what is happening in other institutions like the Kenya Seed Company, the National Cereals and Produce Board and the Horticultural Board. Let us bring these organizations together and make sure that the issue of fertilizer stands out in the bigger organization rather than creating another body that will require to be funded by our Budget. I am also suggesting that we look at how the Government will incorporate funding of the various other crops for purposes of getting them into the strategic reserves of the country. Why do we not have, say milk, being preserved as powder as we do with cereals? I suggest that we do this with other crops. As I wind up, the Government should help in value addition of those other crops. We should take care of the agriculture sector in a bigger budget. The way to go is to manage our fertilizer and especially go the organic way. This is what is going to benefit this country and my people of Kipipiri. I support the Bill subject to those amendments."
}