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"id": 90813,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/90813/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Kosgei",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Agriculture",
"speaker": {
"id": 13,
"legal_name": "Lucas Kipkosgei Chepkitony",
"slug": "lucas-chepkitony"
},
"content": "Kenya and Orphan Crops Programmes. Through these initiatives, my Ministry supported seven community-based organizations in food security innovations and 575 farmers groups to carry out various food security initiatives. Under the Orphan Crops Programme, 259 metric tons of assorted seed, 1,600,000 cassava cuttings and 2,800 sweet potato vines were distributed to farmers. During the year, my Ministry also implemented food security programmes such as the National Agricultural and Livestock Extension Projects, private-sector development assistance, agricultural sector programme support, small holder horticultural marketing programmes, small holder agricultural empowerment and promotion units and small scale horticultural development projects, among others. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my Ministry in conjunction with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Ministry of Regional Development, implemented the food security component of the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) in various parts of the country. The specific objectives of the component were to increase the area under irrigation and to generate employment opportunities in the production, processing and marketing among others. The programme covered a total acreage of 14,000 acres of which 5,000 acres was for maize and 8,000 acres was devoted to rice cultivation. While the programme has been largely successful, the heavy prolonged short rains in parts of the country affected maize drying by farmers, resulting in them harvesting earlier than normal. Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this country to develop agriculture and be food secure, we have to harness our irrigation. The effort we started under the ESP is just a touch of the huge unexploited irrigation potential of this country. We would need to invest at least Kshs15 billion per year in the next five years in irrigation, for us to achieve at least 50 per cent of our irrigation potential in the country. My Ministry has been allocated Kshs100 million for water harvesting and the sector allocated Kshs2.8 billion which is reflected under the Treasury. We would have wished to be allocated more to invest in this noble goal. The Government through my Ministry, has undertaken interventions at boosting agricultural productivity through provision of various inputs such as fertilizer and assorted seeds. Some Kshs1.9 billion was spent in the purchase of assorted seeds for farmers and fertilizers through support from the Government and some development partners. Mr. Speaker, Sir, under the National Accelerated Agricultural Input Access Programme which my Ministry is implementing in some 90 districts across the country and with support from development partners, a total of Kshs43 million was used to purchase fertilizer and assorted seeds and distributed to 170,000 small scale farmers. These are a few of the interventions my Ministry undertook, aimed at increasing productivity in the country. The interventions for 2010 are that we will ensure that delivery of services is sustainable so that growth can be sustainable. In keeping with the Government policy of adopting programme-based budgeting, my Ministry has three sections; policy strategy management, crop development and agri-business. In this, we cover six strategic objectives. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the first programme is that of implementing the strategy of the development review. The second and third include the harmonization of our activities and all the 130 current legislations which we intend to reduce to a manageable level. My Ministry intends to work on the new Cereals Bill and the Fertilizer Soil Bill. We also have developed a strategy for crop management which we intend to implement. The provision we have received for the extension services is below our expectations. However, we will be working with the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders to see that it is increased. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the third programme that my Ministry is implementing is agri- business and agricultural information management. For this and others, I intend to spend Kshs8, 187,640,610 under the Recurrent Vote and just over Kshs10 billion under the Development Vote for the year 2010/2011 to meet the targets set for this year under my Ministry. In conclusion, I would like to request the House to approve an amount of Kshs18,962,567,668 to meet both the Recurrent and Development expenditures of my Ministry for the year ending 30th June 2011. I beg to move and would like to request Mr. Chris Obure to second."
}