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"id": 823492,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/823492/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Isiolo North, KPP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Hassan Hulufo",
"speaker": {
"id": 13348,
"legal_name": "Hassan Oda Hulufo",
"slug": "hassan-oda-hulufo-2"
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"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I stand to support this very important Motion. I would like to state that the coconut tree is very important to our brothers and sisters from the Coast region. It is also important to us, as Kenyans. We need to value coconut as much as we value tea, coffee and horticultural crops. Therefore, whatever support Kenyan farmers who grow tea, coffee and other crops receive should be extended to farmers in the Coast of Kenya. If we look at the importance of the coconut tree to Kenya, as a country, you will realise that the revenue generated by coconut farming is roughly Kshs3.2 billion but, potentially, this crop can help us to generate a revenue of Kshs13 billion. Therefore, the current production is hardly a quarter of the potential production of this crop. Another very important thing we need to appreciate is the fact that this crop predominantly grows in a region that is characterised by high levels of poverty. Therefore, if the Government invests in this sector, that investment will go a long way in alleviating poverty at the Coast, hence helping us to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line. Because of climate change, we have, as a country, experienced very severe drought in the recent past. There are droughts which have become more frequent and this has had very serious and negative impact on agricultural production – both livestock production and crop production. For instance, since 1990 we have, as a country, gone through 12 episodes we can call serious droughts. As we move into the future, looking at the trend, we are likely to have more droughts. Therefore, it is high time we cushioned our farmers against adverse weather conditions. This is not something unique to us. It is happening everywhere in the world, including in developed countries like the USA. For example, Australia is going through a very serious drought and the government is subsidising their farmers to the extent of providing them with some relief to enable them feed their livestock, provide water, et cetera . This Motion, which urges the Government to help coconut farmers to recover from past drought, and put in place measures to help them mitigate against drought to enable them to cope with future droughts, is very timely. As a country, we have already piloted a scheme to provide insurance for agriculturalists. Pastoralists are enjoying livestock insurance in many parts of this country. Some crops have also been covered. Therefore, it is not asking too much of the Government to extend the same to coconut farmers. What do we achieve as a country if we invest in coconut farming? As a result of underproduction in this sector, we are investing billions of shillings to import oil. If we invest in this sector as proposed and enable the country achieve the maximum potential, we will be able to save up to Kshs8 billion by avoiding importation of oil. As I conclude, I would like to say… The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}