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{
    "id": 468361,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/468361/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 220,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kajwang",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 164,
        "legal_name": "Gerald Otieno Kajwang",
        "slug": "otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "I listened to you very carefully and I am actually supporting you only that I must give the historical background of how these things have failed because of lack of ownership, focus and planning. When hon. Karua went to Ahero and spent less than Kshs400,000 to repair the pump, water started flowing into Ahero Irrigation Scheme. The parcels were owned by farmers or they were given licenses to use the farms. At least, there was somebody who could go into the farm, get the crop and sell it to the board. So, when planning these irrigation schemes, we must know who eventually the owner is. If you revive it into one million hectares and each farmer will have two acres to take care of; the Government provides infrastructure while the farmer takes care of the piece of land where he or she must produce to qualify to get it the following year; that way, there will be some ownership. We can invest in an area where people are basically not agriculturalists. I do not know because people have been livestock keepers in these regions where we want to take the irrigation schemes. Sometimes they may look at farming as a very difficult thing because they did not grow up with it. I hope that they will take up agriculture because it is not fair that we invest one million hectares then we import people to work there from Kakamega County. In Kakamega and Kisii counties, people are so attached to the land. I saw that in Bura when we were doing cotton. There is a large population of Luos and Luhyas in Bura. Since they love land, they went ahead to till the land. As we invest, we must, first of all, prepare our county governments because they are in touch with our people daily. They can change attitudes. Agriculture can actually change our lives. I was being told when we were in South Korea the other day that they import a lot of what they use; almost 79 per cent. But I was told that if you have an acre of land in South Korea and a greenhouse, you are a millionaire because the country needs that food. 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."
}