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{
    "id": 654147,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/654147/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 89,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ababu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. The Seeds and Plant Varieties (Amendment) Bill is an important piece of legislation. As it has already been noted, it seeks to bring to life the letter and spirit of Articles 11 and 49 of our Constitution. Article 11 of the Constitution, among other things makes it very clear that our new constitutional order recognises the role of science and indigenous technologies in the development of our nation and promotes the intellectual property rights of the people of this country. In addition to that, Article 69 of the Constitution obligates the State to among other things, protect and enhance intellectual property in, and indigenous knowledge of, biodiversity and the genetic resources of the communities and to protect genetic resources and biological diversity. It is not by accident that our Constitution clearly places an obligation on the State and the legislators to provide legislative framework to ensure that we recognise seeds and plant varieties that are indigenous to our land and use the same for the promotion of the well-being of our people. Food security is among the greatest challenges facing this land today. It is important that we utilise this avenue to promote food sufficiency by relying on indigenous seeds and plant varieties that served our forefathers well. We have seeds and plant varieties that effectively ensured food security, medicinal value that enabled our people to combat many diseases and ailments that have become a major challenge to the human race today. I am particularly happy that among the innovations in this new Bill is the establishment of a Plant Genetic Resources Research Centre for learning, conducting genetic research and analysis and even training to achieve the objective of this law. There is an abundance of value all over this country. During the long vacation in December, I had an opportunity to visit a number of cultural festivals in various communities across the country. One of the most impressive one was the Isukha Cultural Festival of the Isukha people in Shinyalu Constituency of Kakamega County, ably represented in this House by my big brother, Hon. Anami. It was amazing to see a variety of seeds, plants and resources abundantly available in Kakamega Forest and its environs. It was inspiring to see the efforts of the local people in Shinyalu Constituency transform these resources into medicines, foodstuffs, local brews and a whole host of very healthy and clean foods, drinks and medicinal resources. When we establish a Plant Genetic Resources Research Centre, the Isukha people, who have made such tremendous effort to preserve their indigenous seeds and plant varieties will have a platform where what they offer to this country can be tested, improved, enhanced and developed for the benefit of our people. I believe what I witnessed in Shinyalu Constituency is just a microcosm of what is available to other communities from Loitokitok, Todonyang, to the south and north of our country, Budalangi all the way to Shimoni."
}