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{
    "id": 90831,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/90831/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 124,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Maj-Gen. Nkaisserry",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Ministry of State for Defence",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 192,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Kasaine Ole Nkaissery",
        "slug": "joseph-nkaissery"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I began by saying that I stand to support this very important Vote. I want to commend the Minister and her entire staff for doing a very commendable job under very difficult challenges and circumstances. You will realize that about a year ago, this country was faced with a very serious drought and this Ministry did a commendable job by ensuring that Kenyans were saved from starvation. The only problem that has not been articulated properly in the statement is the food policy. We have not had the opportunity to scrutinize the food policy of the Ministry. The other day, Narok wheat farmers and other farmers were crying that their crop is already harvested and there was nowhere to sell it. There is no clear policy. So, we need that policy to come out very soon! Where I come from is a very dry area. Issues to do with livestock are very difficult. We want to see a research on seeds that can do well in dry areas. Such seeds should be distributed to our areas so that we can change our lifestyle. I have not seen that in the policy of the Ministry. The other point which I think we need to tackle very carefully--- Before, we used to have a Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. But now, we have two different Ministries. There is one that deals with agriculture and another one with livestock. I am a livestock farmer and I have suffered tremendously. I have lost so many animals and our people have loans with Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC). AFC is harassing the farmers and yet, they have got nothing to repay those loans with. We have requested the Ministry of Finance to try and buy out the farmers by funding AFC, so that it can continue surviving. We even asked and were promised that a moratorium will be given as the Government is looking into this. But the AFC people are continuing to harass our people and we need this to stop. It is very painful to see somebody who cannot pay - not because of his or her wish - but because he is unable to do so. So, I would like to ask the Minister to quickly look into that. Otherwise, the AFC people should stop harassing our people. The other very important issue with regard to this Ministry is quality in terms of livestock. We want to have artificial insemination (AI) re-introduced. This is the work of the Ministry of Livestock Development. But there are some research institutions which combine both livestock and agriculture. We need research to be brought under one roof. Research will assist the Ministry to come up with an agricultural policy that will enhance food production for the benefit of this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, tea, coffee and even sugar cane are very good crops for this country. I am not sure whether enough research has been done on those cash crops to enhance their production and earn this country foreign exchange. If this Ministry looks at the food policy in totality, this country will improve. We will be able to export more crops like sugar, tea and coffee. If the Ministry can do that, then we can move forward. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}