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"id": 54594,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/54594/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Kosgei",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Agriculture",
"speaker": {
"id": 13,
"legal_name": "Lucas Kipkosgei Chepkitony",
"slug": "lucas-chepkitony"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me support the Motion because it is important and in response to the problems that are there in the country. I have listened and I had hoped that we would have a lot of what I have heard from Dr. Machage, Mr. Mbadi and a few others on how to resolve the issue. It is not really going to help us if we use this platform as a mudslinging occasion. Let us take the case of food prices, and I am saying this because the Ministry of Agriculture is not responsible for food prices because we do not sell or distribute food. We are aware that food prices around the world have been rising for the last six months. I said so in all the agricultural shows for all Kenyans to know. I have said so in this House because by January we were aware that the prices of food had gone up by 40 per cent. So, Mr. C. Kilonzo is not right to say that we are not aware. We are aware about it and it is for all of us. You have heard Dr. Machage say that there is food in the country. At the moment, we have a paradox which all of us need to be aware of and hopefully have a solution because this country has a liberalized economy; we no longer control prices. A Price Control Bill came here but it did not go very far. In any event, as I am speaking to you, there is an effort for more maize to be imported into this country. I have said so many times here that this is not necessary because it kills any production that Kenyans might have. I have constantly, with the support of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Co- operatives, called for more investments in agriculture because honestly we should not come here another five years from now and say that Kenyans cannot feed themselves. Obviously, what is happening now is a ripple down effect and people taking advantage of the fact that oil prices around the world have gone up, in total disregard of our local conditions. In any event, there is a sense that we see, because we check all the time, that there is speculation. We cannot, as a Government, force somebody to sell maize. Therefore, the paradox is, how do we get the millers not to force the farmers to hold maize? That is what is going on and that is a fact. The maize is there. I would like to support a few observations like that of Mr. Mbadi that what is it that we can do especially in addressing these issues? The Ministry of Agriculture is a production ministry and somewhere along the line we have to congratulate the Kenyan farmers. I do not think that the crop we have now has suffered from any of the things that I am hearing around here, or any corruption of any sort in this last year. We have not imported any maize. However, if the farmers will not sell at the market price, I think the millers will import maize. To me, knowing the prices of commodities around the world, and I have said it in this House before, if it is imported it is going to be damn expensive. The consumers, who are the people we represent in this House, are going to suffer. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am not going to say that we cannot find a collective solution to this. We are working on it. I know the technocrats are doing something about getting the shilling to stabilize, because this is causing us a lot of trouble. Kenyans have produced the food, but they cannot sell it because now it is too expensive. Although some of my friends like my wonderful friend, the Member for Gichugu, do not want us to say that Parliament will pass certain laws, you must know that you gave us only Kshs100 million for irrigation in agriculture. Many of the areas we deal in cannot irrigate with that. We have to manage our agriculture. There are ten sectors in agriculture. They work very hard. We are under-resourced and we have managed to get quite a bit of support from outside. However, at the moment we have a very unique crisis, where we have food, yet we cannot get it on our tables at the right time. We need the support of the House. I feel that somehow we have to come out, not to use the Floor of the House for broadside against other people, but to examine issues as a House. Ultimately, we represent all Kenyans. They are looking at us as whole House to see what we can do. What we can do in our offices, we are doing. If it is time for that kind of revelation, we shall give it. Thank you."
}