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{
    "id": 798087,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/798087/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 171,
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    "content": "values that Kenya has and values that we impart in our children, so that as they grow, we can identify who a Kenyan child is at any time because of the values inculcated in them at a very early age. I thought that was a nice line in his speech and it should not go unnoticed. National values are very important for any group. At the continental level, he talked about the African Continental Free Trade Area which I strongly support. I was a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). East Africa is larger than Kenya and we imposed customs union but better still having a continental free trade area is important for us. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you are aware that I am a Member of the African, Caribbean & Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) representing this Senate. In fact, when heads of states met in Kigali to announce the declaration, we were in Brussels and discussed the African, Caribbean & Pacific-European Union Relations on Trade. I must say that we are extremely delighted and excited as the African delegation that there is a step towards Africa being opened up. This is very important for us as a nation because there will be free movement of people and goods. This is what we need because for a very long time, Africa has been--- I do not want to call it a dumping ground but it has been a consumer continent. It consumed everything that came from everywhere without necessarily exporting as much as it was importing. So, this will generate inter-state competition and it will open up the continent for growth. That was a good thing that our President participated in and he is among the champions for this. We need to pass the law to ratify it soon. The last but one is the Big Four Agenda that His Excellency the President is spearheading. I congratulate him for the Four Agendas because they are the foundation of growth of any nation. Health has been explored by my sister Sen. Mugo and I will not touch on that. I want to talk about food security because I come from Uasin Gishu which is one of the grain baskets of the nation. Food security is important. It is a shame that 50 years after Independence, we are still talking about food. We should be self-sufficient by now. We have been conscious ever that 20 per cent of Kenya is productive and fertile and 80 per cent is Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL). What we have not had is special focus on ASALs because we have not had an agenda of making the areas productive. I like the agenda that the President has on this, that we need to convert some of the ASALs to be productive. Better still, we need to help the farmers in productive areas because if you look at the living standards of farmers in Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia, you will realise that this is another group of people that enjoy what they are doing because the production costs are high and what they get is very little. That still puts us at risk as far as food security is concerned. It is very important that we start analysing and look back to see where we came from as a nation. There were days when crop production losses caused by any natural calamity were compensated. We need to relook at that and determine how we can compensate somebody who has committed himself to plant, plough and harvest for the sake of our food security. I say this because I have seen farmers who have remained paupers while they grow food for this country. 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."
}