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{
    "id": 873128,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/873128/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 140,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, we went to Nandi County and met farmers who said that they will never go to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) because the cost of taking produce to the NCPB reduces Kshs3200 to less than Kshs3000. Therefore, they find it difficult. The county governments should take up this more seriously. It is upon them to create aggregation centres where farmers are so that they are able to deliver produce at the right time. That is the only way we can be assured of food security. Mr. Speaker, Sir, for many years, since independence, we have had something called Agricultural Mechanization Services (AMS). This is a service that the county governments must take over immediately. This is because it does not make any sense for an engineer from the national Government to keep collecting Kshs5000 or Kshs2000 from a tractor that has been used. It is important that the same machinery is supervised at the ground level. Currently, we are being told that it is for the national Government and whether the money is collected or not, it is not available. So, it is important to devolve this function. We urge our county governments and their governors to take this very seriously and take over the mechanization and subsidies. Currently, as we are talking, farmers have been warned that they will not get any subsidies this year. They got the warning very late and they have already ploughed the lands and are waiting for the planting season. Why are they being told now that they will not get subsidies and that the fertilizer will now be double or triple the price? This is another area where we need the county governments to take charge and support the farmers. Unless we have a long-term plan for the producers of our food, we can forget about food security. It is important that we respect these people and give them the support that they deserve. Therefore, the county governments must ensure timely availability of fertilizer in the right quality and quantity. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we went to Nyamira County where we had several problems. First, we found bean seeds that expired long ago occupying 50 per cent of the store. They did not have any maize and they were suffering because they were getting it from Tanzania at Kshs100 per kilogram. In fact, they told us if there is maize in the North Rift, we should ferry it to them. However, because of the fact that our county governments have not taken farming seriously, they have not been able to take care of their people. They also raised the issue of quality of fertilizer. They said that they were given dust as fertilizer which is not helpful at all. Therefore, it is important that county governments ensure timely availability of fertilizer of good quality and quantity. The Committee also recommended, therefore, that distribution centers be devolved so that fertilizers are distributed at the lowest level possible."
}