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{
    "id": 801509,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/801509/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 121,
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    "content": "charge of co-operatives. It is important that counties begin to register co-operative societies. For example, in Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Uasin Gishu, areas, I am familiar with because I live and operate in the three counties, maize farming can properly be protected if we can group our farmers into co-operative societies, so that they have the assurance and know what their farmers require, how much they produce, how they can approach the market with their produce and many others. If you listen to the issues that we have in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), you will realize that one of the biggest problems is how to assist the small-scale farmers to collect their produce and take them to the NCPB. There are also questions about transport and economies of scale. That can be cured if we have working co- operative societies at the local level. Madam Temporary Speaker, secondly, we need to reform the NCPB to work closely with the Agriculture Finance Corporation (AFC), so that we have contracted farming. This will ensure that by the time the farmers are going to farm, they already know that they have an assured market and a certificate or contract that states, for example, farmer ‘X’ can now produce 1,000 bags for which he has a market at the end of the season. If that farmer does not meet the 1,000 bags, then he can transfer the rest of the bags to a neighbouring farm or it can be attributed to low yield and so forth. Those are some of the things that we would like to see with the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme, so that agriculture becomes sustainable and the subsidy programme becomes accountable and can benefit the people of Kenya. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Water Tower Protection and Climate Change Mitigation and Adoption Programme is extremely important in protecting our water towers, one of which is Cherangany Hills. I was born and brought up in the Cherangany water tower. Embobut is one of the remaining few forests in this country that we are still protecting. Other than just the protection of the forest itself, one of the greatest challenges that we have in Cherangany water tower is settlement of various people who were removed from the forest. I believe that this programme will be tailored in a manner that will respect the interest and the rights of the many people in Cherangany Hills that have not been settled, especially in Embobut Forest. I hope that they will get the opportunity of being settled. The reason many forests in this country have been depleted is because we protect forests, but make it look like the forest is an enemy of the local community. We need to adopt mechanisms and ways of ensuring that local communities and people living around forests see the protection of forests as a partnership between the local community and the Government. That way, they will not think that we are protecting the forest to protect Kenya. They must also appreciate that protecting the forest protects the local community and benefits them, the current generation and future generations. Madam Temporary Speaker, I hope that the Kshs808 million that will be spent in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Kakamega, Kisumu, Nandi, Siaya, Trans Nzoia up to West Pokot will largely go to Elgeyo-Marakwet. I am being very selfish here because the top source of all the water that goes to Turkana through Kerio Valley and Nzoia River is Cherangany 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."
}