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{
    "id": 565650,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/565650/?format=api",
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    "content": "governments to be innovative. For example, Nandi County should not just look at itself, but they should ask themselves how they can cooperate with a county like Mandera and engage in some co-operation. We should see some sort of commodity exchange where production of some items in other counties can be subsidized, while ensuring there is exchange within counties to ensure food security. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this country has some of the most strategic food reserves. Being a leader from the green area, a strategic food grain reserve, we are advised that we have maize that was stored in the strategic grain reserve for the last seven years. The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) was unable to purchase more grains last year because the stores are full of maize that was bought seven years ago. We need to have a proper management system that ensures we do not keep grain for seven years, while some people in many parts of this country continue to die of hunger. I hope that the authority that will be established under this Bill will address some of these challenges so that we do not look like a country that does not understand what it is engaged in; that your own citizens are dying in one county while food is rotting in Government stores in another county. We need to address issues of infrastructure to ensure that there is movement of food from one region that produces in excess to others that need this food. It is shocking that you will find farmers pouring milk in one part of this country or unable to find a market for their cabbages and potatoes. In the same country, may be 150 kilometres away, there is a county where people are suffering from hunger. We must ensure good logistics to facilitate transport of food from one region to another. I hope when we get to the Second Reading, a number of issues that were pointed out by Sen. Ong’era and other Senators will be looked into to ensure that we have a Bill that conclusively addresses issues of food security in this country. We hope that once we pass this Bill, it will not have contestation with Members of the National Assembly. It is critical that we have a legal framework that ensures that national and county governments, relevant institutions and stakeholders can participate in the process of ensuring our country is food secure. With those few remarks, I wish to support this Bill and congratulate the Mover."
}