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"id": 6364,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/6364/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. ole Lankas",
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"speaker": {
"id": 65,
"legal_name": "Lankas ole Nkoidila",
"slug": "lankas-nkoidila"
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"content": "We are really sympathizing with AFC. That is why we are asking this Government to save this very important agency from collapsing. They can do so by pumping in a lot of money. This is the only way they can salvage it. There are other problems associated with this recovery of loans with the AFC. Farmers are really harassed by the AFC. The AFC used archaic way of recovering their money. Farmers are harassed and some time they even seize their property to recover their money. This defeats the very purpose why AFC was set up. It was established to empower farmers, but not to impoverish them. Sometimes, they go to an extent of even forcing farmers to sell some of their properties such as tractors and other machineries and their livestock. This has really contributed to poverty in semi and semi-arid areas. Farmers are not comfortable at all. So, as much as we sympathize with the AFC, I think they must come up with decent ways of recovering their money instead of harassing them. If we want to fight poverty in this country, then AFC must change its tactics of recovering their loans from farmers. Let us not create more destitute and frustrated farmers in our country. These are some of the issues that need to be addressed if we want to sustain AFC as a very important Government agency. As I said, the Government must step in and save this agency from collapsing. I urge the Government to address the plight of farmers because they are unable to meet their obligation to AFC because of factors beyond them. It is true that farmers owe AFC a lot of money. For example, 1,491 farmers in Narok County owe AFC Kshs583 million. This also brings the question of what category of farmers access these loans. Is it everybody or it is just a few commercial farmers who are access these loans? So, there should be an issue of equity also when it comes to accessibility of these loans. The issue of unemployment is critical in this country. But once the Government supports this agency to be able to support farmers, even the question of unemployment among youths will be addressed."
}