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{
    "id": 942352,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/942352/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 180,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Uasin Gishu CWR, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Gladys Boss Shollei",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13278,
        "legal_name": "Gladys Jepkosgei-boss Shollei",
        "slug": "gladys-jepkosgei-boss-shollei"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I want to appreciate the Mover of this Motion, Dr. John Mutunga, because this is an extremely important Motion. Most of this country’s GDP is based on agriculture. It is also important because 70 per cent of the food consumed in this country is produced by small-holder farmers. Therefore, the Motion and the request that farmers be registered are imperative. It is an economic imperative for this country. This country cannot transform or improve its yields in farming if we do not have registration of farmers. The country cannot plan well if it does not know how many farmers it has, what activities those farmers are involved in, how many persons are employed by those farmers, what other side activities—like production of biogas and so on— are being undertaken by these farmers. Therefore, registration would enable the country to have a more directed policy and more directed resources in the correct areas of promoting agriculture. It will further be the only way through which the pillar on food security, as one of the Big Four Agenda of His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta, can be actualised. Without registration of farmers, it will be impossible for us to realise this agenda. A good example of the dangers of not registering farmers is that, recently, Kenya was hit by a shortage of maize and we needed to import that commodity. Because we have not registered our farmers, it is impossible for the Government to know how many farmers have grains in their farm warehouses. Forget what is in the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) stores or what is with the NCPB. Therefore, we always run into the danger of importing excess maize and flooding the market, and farmers eventually suffer. Farmer registration will allow the Ministry to plan better on the necessity or lack of necessity to import. It would also help the country to know how many warehouses we need to build. We have not built new warehouses since Independence yet our production has increased. It will also be able to help us direct our efforts better on issues like pest control. Last year, it was reported that Kenya lost Kshs3 billion worth of maize to army worms, who destroyed our crops. Yet we also hear that we spend only Kshs1 billion on fertilisers. This tells you that there is no data that is being used in making such decisions. Registration of farmers will also help us to have more directed research. There are many agricultural research institutions in Kenya, but if they do not know which farmers they are serving and what type of crops or activities the farmers are involved in, then their research is actually like walking blindly, as a country. With registration of farmers, we will also be able to boost productivity. Currently, as a representative of Uasin Gishu County, the average production of maize per acre in farms is 15 bags and yet, I know a farmer in Uasin Gishu called Kruger who produces an average of 45 bags per acre. Therefore, we are at less than 50 per cent optimum production in farming. If we knew the farmers registered, then we would know which one was not using adequate fertilisers or who needs help with soil analysis so that we can help them improve their farming practices. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}