Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 58103,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/58103/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 319,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Kones",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 53,
        "legal_name": "Julius Kipyegon Kones",
        "slug": "julius-kones"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to seek a Ministerial Statement from the Minister for Agriculture on the rising food prices. The global food prices have steadily been increasing for the past couple of years now. The statistics indicate that from October last year and January this year, the food price index has increased by 15 per cent. Those food prices have affected several food items such as wheat, maize, sugar, edible oils and rice. With the increasing population, the situation is getting even worse. Could the Minister tell this House what approach the Government will be using to reduce food prices and what policies will be undertaken in co-operation with international financial institutions to encourage investments in agriculture to help prevent the chronic food insecurity? More specifically, could he also clarify the following:- The measures he has taken to encourage the public and private sector investments to invest in productivity in agriculture and the various measures the Government has put in place to alleviate the negative consequences of increased food prices on poor communities. He should tell us whether the Government has access to the World Bank’s facility on the global food crisis response programme and how much help we will get. Fourthly, I would like to know the risk management programmes the Government has put in place to increase capacity to respond to future price increases and to stabilize food price volatility. We should also know if the Ministry has put in place taxation measures to reduce speculation in commodity markets and what emergency finances the Ministry and Government in general have set aside to take care of the poor communities in the country."
}