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{
    "id": 915598,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/915598/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 70,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mandera South, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ali Adan",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13418,
        "legal_name": "Adan Hajj Ali",
        "slug": "adan-haji-ali"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order No. 44(2)(c) of the National Assembly, Hon. Owen Baya, MP, Kilifi North Constituency, had requested for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the following issues: 1. What measures are there to cushion coastal fishermen from hunger in the face of the current fishing ban? 2. What specific relief programmes has the Government earmarked for both current and future fishing bans? First of all, I thank and appreciate the meteorological department for the early warning to the fishing community in our coastal waters. The number and size of storms in the recent past has increased as a result of the vagaries of climate change. The information is important and real time information is more important in terms of reducing casualties of both the fishermen, their boats and lives. What the Ministry issued was simply an advisory and not a fishing ban. Hon. Speaker, 90 per cent of the artisanal fishermen use very small rudimentary fishing boats and canoes for their operations, which cannot resist huge waves. The Ministry has piloted fishing equipment which would be appropriate for the fishermen. Equally, the Ministry is in the process of organising fishermen into strong associations which are capable of venturing into small fishing using modern and safer fishing gears as well as training fishermen on climate change mitigation. It is for this reason that the Ministry is working with the National Disaster Management Authority to develop mitigation measures for the fishermen in the country in order to reduce the causalities and loss of live. Finally, in terms of what specific relief programmes the Government has earmarked for both current and future fishing bans, first of all, as I earlier enumerated, there was no such ban. It was only cautionary information that was given out to the fishermen. However, the Ministry is in the process of finalising a project which will work with the fishermen in the marine fishing area – the Kenya Marine Fisheries Socio-Economic Development Project – which will support alternative livelihoods for fishing communities in our coastal waters so that over-dependence on fishing is drastically reduced and diversification to other forms is encouraged. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}