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{
    "id": 770029,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/770029/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support this Motion. I agree with what both Sen. Kihika, the Senator for Nakuru County and Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri have said. Listening to Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri is very inspiring because he has a lot of experience. He has powerful words and out of experience he has Solomonic wisdom which we should capture so that in a nutshell, we protect it for posterity and ensure that we move forward. The National Irrigation Policy, 2017 is very timely. It is said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. One way of ensuring that we have sustainable food production in this country is by improving the poor irrigation infrastructure. As indicated in this Policy, less than 30 per cent of the country is irrigated but majority of 70 per cent of the population is not covered. This includes arid and semi-arid areas which are not viable for production because of absence of water. We should also look at proper legal framework to ensure that arid and semi-arid areas are irrigated so that they can produce food and become sustainable. I agree that going forward, there has to be a multi-sectoral approach that will engage the national Government, county governments and the private sector. We should develop the culture of ensuring that when we have excess rains, we harvest the water and store it in water pans so that when we experience a drought or a dry season, we can still sustain the country. In my own great county of Nandi, we have seen the projects that the Ministry has undertaken including the Keben Dam which is up-coming in Nandi Hills sub-county and other projects in Tinderet sub-county, Chemelil, and Chemase Wards, among other areas which are very critical. We should ensure that even as we experience climate change, we can still produce food. As the Mover, Senator for Nakuru County, Sen. Kihika indicated, as the population grows, it is not only a privilege, it is an obligation of the State or the Government to ensure that the people of this country are well taken care of in terms of provision of quality food, so that we have a healthy and wealthy nation. This will allow us to proper as a nation. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes"
}