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{
    "id": 814983,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/814983/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
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    "content": "they become a resource centre for providing information to the various county levels to manage their irrigation schemes. That would be much more reasonable and clearly so. Clause 8(2) (g) says- “provide technical advisory services on a commercial basis, on irrigation water management, including water harvesting and storage, and waste water recycling for agricultural use to all schemes under appropriate modalities, including agency contracts” The Galana story is very fresh in our mind. I think the Senator for Tana River County has clearly expounded the tragedy that we went through. I was looking forward to an opportunity to grow this country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by double digits through the irrigation scheme in Galana. However, we have had a fiasco there because they could only manage 5,000 hectares. The production cost in that scheme was far greater than the production cost of a peasant farmer in producing that maize. What went wrong? Have we learnt the lessons? Lest I am misunderstood, I want to emphasize that nobody is opposed to creating food security for this country. We are all in agreement with the Big Four Agenda and food security for this nation. However, we are questioning the methodology of securing food security that is being put in place through legislation in this House. That is why we must examine this Bill and be satisfied that it will meet the criteria of rendering food security that we so desire. Moving on fast, Clause 8(2)(k) states that- “in collaboration with county governments and other stakeholders, promote the marketing and processing of crops, animal and fish products grown or produced on national and other irrigation schemes and to liaise in this regard with other responsible state agencies and organizations”. One of the biggest problems we are having today with regard to even the basic maize production in Trans Nzoia, Rift Valley, Kisii and South Rift is the maize imports from Uganda. I will declare my interest - I am a farmer in Trans Nzoia, where we are expecting a bumper harvest. However, as I am speaking today, there is maize coming from Uganda retailing at Kshs1,100 to Kshs1,500 for a 90 kilogramme bag. The cost of production of the same for a farmer in that region is Kshs1,700. As if that is not enough, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores are already full with maize from the so-called commercial traders. Where does the ordinary poor farmer take his produce of 2018, which is coming in another three to four months’ time? We have already jeopardized the food security of this country by allowing certain cartels to come in and completely distort the market. By so doing, this is a disincentive to farmers not to produce more maize. That is why farmers are switching from maize production to something else. Therefore, if we cannot manage the maize, mangoes, rice, fish and other commodities that we get from that irrigation scheme, we will then realize that it is impossible to encourage farmers to go that route because they have already hit a snag. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, from the look of things, instead of decentralizing, we are nationalizing. Agriculture is basically a function of county governments. However, this Bill only gives two slots for representatives to this board from county governments 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."
}