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{
    "id": 821350,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/821350/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 244,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "August 8, 2018 SENATE DEBATES 41 Sen. (Eng.) Hargura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I would like to thank the two Senators who came up with this Motion which requires the Senate to establish an ad hoc Committee to investigate the maize situation in the country. Article 43(1)(c) of our Constitution on economic and social rights says that:- “Every person has the right to be free from hunger, and to have adequate food of acceptable quality.” That right has to be provided for by the Government. My expectation was that it is the Government to facilitate those who are in unfavourable climates to produce food. This is because, if a country cannot produce its own food to feed its people, it cannot claim to be sovereign from others. That is why we have the issue of the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR). It is like we have the idea. We expect that the farmers need to be facilitated in terms of production and marketing. They should have ready markets. Madam Temporary Speaker, other countries actually subsidise production. They cushion their farmers against anything like overproduction or shortage. However, in our country, we are seeing a situation where the same Government is competing with its own farmers. Individuals are given licences to import duty free which, obviously, will be cheaper than what we are producing, especially when we are not assisted in the production. I urge the Committee to make sure that the issues that have been raised such as farmers not being paid, the issue of duty free maize, et cetera, are addressed. What needs to be done? Do we need the centralised NCPB? Agriculture being a devolved function and hence food production being devolved, it can be done easily at the county level."
}