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{
    "id": 821348,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/821348/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 242,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Seneta",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 611,
        "legal_name": "Mary Yiane Senata",
        "slug": "mary-yiane-senata"
    },
    "content": "Thank You, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me a chance to contribute. First, I want to congratulate the co-sponsors of this Motion for proposing the formation of this Ad hoc Committee to look into the issue of maize. Because of the limited time given to us, I want to urge the proposed Committee to critically look into the system of production and the support that is given to these farmers. Every year we see a huge budget allocated to agriculture in terms of fertilizers and seeds. We would want to know how this system is done. Who are given the seeds and fertilizers and at what time are they given? It is sad that the small-scale farmers are denied all these opportunities even after the Government has allocated a lot of money to agriculture. It is sad that these farmers are producing food for this country, but cartels get the opportunity to import the same food, take it to NCPB and are paid before ordinary farmers from the productive areas. The proposed ad hoc Committee should also look into the payment system. How are these farmers supposed to be paid? Who is supposed to pay them and at what time? This will ensure that culprits are brought to book. There is no need for the Government to allocate money and it goes to the pockets of cartels, instead of the genuine maize farmers. The ad Hoc Committee should also engage the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries with regard to why we import maize from outside the country, when we already have farmers who are producing it. We need to ask ourselves where the rain started beating us. Why is pain written all over the faces of genuine farmers in this country? Livestock farmers are complaining. When you talk of the coffee farmers---"
}