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{
    "id": 728891,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/728891/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 149,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I want to make the following response:- The Government is aware of this statement since the short rains in 2016 performed poorly limiting the irrigation water. This greatly affected the main crop at the grain formation stage, whereas productivity from ratoon crops was not realized. The production fell from 85,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice to 40,000 metric tonnes. This has created a rice market upward surge from Kshs100 to Kshs140 per kilogramme. (ii) The Senator wanted us to confirm whether the Government will extend any financial assistance to farmers in Mwea. I want to give the following response:- The Government has been assisting farmers in Mwea through subsidized fertilisers and donor projects: (a)Regarding subsidized fertilizer: Sulphate of Ammonia 20,000 bags and fertilizer blends of 60,000 bags of 50 kilogrammes have been procured and are yet to be distributed to the farmers, but they are in the process of being distributed. DAP and another fertilizer called 17:17:17 amounting to 10,000 bags each of 50 kilogrammes have been distributed. Both DAP and 17:17:17 are sold at Kshs1,800 per kilogramme per bag as opposed to the commercial price of Kshs3,000 and Kshs2,800, respectively, because the Government is subsiding the fertiliser for the farmers. (b) The donor projects:- several donor projects are being implemented to promote and support the production of rice in Mwea Irrigation Scheme (MIS) and other parts of the country as follows:- (1) Partnerships for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (PARDA). This is a two year project on capacity building of rice stakeholders. The source of funding totaling to Kshs42 million is from the Government of Venezuela through Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It will cover Kirinyaga, Busia and Kisumu counties for the Financial Year 2017/2018. (2) The rice statistics project:- This is a one year project on correct estimation of rice yield and production area. There is also funding of Kshs2.5 million from the Government of Japan through FAO. It is covering Kirinyaga County. The project period is from November 2016 to December 2017. (3) There is another project called the Second Kennedy Round, (2KR). This project is for rice mechanization. The funding is from the Government of Japan totaling ¥460 million. Phase One of this project covered Mwea only in the year 2014 at a total cost of ¥187,949,500 and it procured 20 tractors, 16 combined harvesters, 11 trailers, 52 reapers and 22 rice threshers. Phase Two of this project which is for the balance of ¥254 million is for the equipment for Kisumu, Busia, Baringo and Tana River counties. It started in 2015. It procured 52 tractors and associated implements, 50 rice threshers and 50 rice reapers. (4) There is also the Market Oriented Agriculture Promotion Project (RICEMAPP I). This is a project for increasing rice profitability for rice farmers in Mwea. The project period was from 2012 to January 2017. The source of funding was the Government of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}