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{
    "id": 820381,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/820381/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 95,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
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    "content": "WHEREAS maize is Kenya’s staple food whose demand and supply is monitored by the Government through the Strategic Grain Reserves; AND WHEREAS that Kenya has been experiencing maize shortage mainly due to the high cost of production, the effects of climate change and poor management of the Strategic Grain Reserves; NOTING that maize farmers have called to question the efficiency and capacity of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), which is the institution mandated to buy maize from farmers to continuously replenish the strategic reserves, to effectively handle and manage maize produce, forcing small-scale farmers to sell their produce to unscrupulous traders at very low prices; COGNIZANT that the NCPB has on many occasions declined to buy maize from farmers, claiming that its stores are full to capacity, and failed to pay the farmers whose produce it has received, thereby exposing them to severe financial problems; CONCERNED that although the Government has committed to supporting maize farming in Kenya in order to ensure Kenya’s food security, little has been done to improve the efficiency of NCPB and protect the maize farmers from exploitation; AWARE that the Government, during periods of maize shortage, grants waivers to enable importation of maize duty-free; CONCERNED that the last duty-free window which was scheduled to terminate in October, 2017 was not terminated and that deliveries continued until late December, 2017 leading to overstocking of most NCPB stores with no clarity as to where the maize deliveries came from; CONCERNED that failure to properly manage the maize situation in Kenya could lead to disillusionment of farmers, famine, civil strife and economic sabotage; NOW THEREFORE, the Senate resolves to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to inquire into the maize crisis in the country and report to the Senate within sixty (60) days after the adoption of this Motion on- i. why farmers who have delivered their produce to NCPB have not been paid to date; ii. the quantity of duty-free maize imported into the country during the duty- free window which was to end in October, 2017 and why the period was extended; iii. the challenges facing the maize farmers and the NCPB and make recommendations on how to resolve the challenges; iv. the maize received by the NCPB for the 2017/18 season, to establish the suppliers; and v. the criteria for identification of millers and business persons involved in the importation of maize to the 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."
}