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{
    "id": 922295,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/922295/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 307,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Committee. My Committee on Justice Legal Affairs and Human Rights was to make a follow up with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on the investigations and vetting of farmers because a total of Kshs4.5 billion was supposed to be paid to the farmers. I agree that in liaison with the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, which is led by Sen. Ndwiga, we need to follow up on various recommendations that were made by the Adhoc Committee. The genesis of the 2017 maize issues was the two gazette notices that were published. It is true that 40 million plus Kenyans today consume maize either directly or indirectly. Therefore, we must protect the maize farmers by providing a market for them. In my county, Nandi County, around 68,000 hectares is covered by maize. Mosop Sub- county and Chesumei Sub-county in Nandi County largely depend on maize. Some of us went to school because our parents planted and mopped up maize. My mother used to mop up maize that she would then sell and pay our school fees. Therefore, I feel bad when I see EACC and DCI rounding up women and men who buy maize from people who have half an acre or one acre. We must have a candid conversation on this. We must amend the NCPB Act of 1994 and devolve NCPB, or do away with it. We must also find a way of having strategic food reserve. We must also have a continuous nexus between NCPB and SFR for us not to have breakdown of information. I agree that the governors must be given the opportunity to run and manage the NCPB because agriculture is a devolved function. Yesterday, we saw the Members of the National Assembly doing a devolved function, yet they have been complaining that Senate is overstretching its mandate. Under the Kibaki administration, there was a national subsidy programme. We expected the National Assembly to include around Kshs11 billion in the Budget for subsidy fertilisers to our farmers. That is what countries that are food secure do. One of the key pillars of the President’s Big Four Agenda is food security. We cannot have a discussion on food security, yet we have not allocated more than Kshs11 billion that was meant for subsidy fertilisers. Those fertilisers are not only meant for maize farmers, but also for coffee, tea and other farmers who are to be given subsidy fertilisers. That will help them spur production. We urge the county governments, through the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, to allocate more resources, so as to make agriculture more lucrative and attractive. According to the statistics of World Bank, the youngest farmer is The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}