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{
    "id": 947773,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/947773/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 149,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mandera, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Major (Rtd) Bashir S. Abdullaih",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13258,
        "legal_name": "Amina Gedow Hassan",
        "slug": "amina-gedow-hassan"
    },
    "content": "main body to deal with the concerns of the marketing of livestock and livestock products in the country. It is expected that the passage of this Bill will result in establishment of an efficient livestock and livestock products marketing sector in Kenya. Hon. Deputy Speaker, this Bill was first published on 8th February 2019, and was read the First Time in the National Assembly on 20thMarch 2019. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.127 (1), it was referred to the Departmental Committee on Livestock and Agriculture for public participation. I am glad to report that the said stakeholders’ participation was conducted by the said Committee. The Committee’s Report was laid in the House, and I am sure Members have gone through it. When you talk of livestock, its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 12 per cent. Other sectors, for example tea has the Tea Board of Kenya, coffee - the Coffee Board of Kenya and pyrethrum - the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya. All these sectors have their own boards. Unfortunately, livestock has been left hanging with no board, despite the fact that its GDP contribution is 12 per cent. The sector is not regulated and that creates lack of synergy between the producers and the market. In the absence of livestock board, we can source for livestock market outside the country. However, because we do not have structures, systems and a board, our livestock products cannot sell in international markets. In the year 2016, there was an executive order by the President for the creation of this board. However, the ministry concerned has not acted to date. This Bill will give the board the needed fine touch, so that we anchor it in law. This Bill is in tandem with Vision 2030 which is part of the Big Four Agenda. Over 80 per cent of Kenya’s land mass is made up of arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Livestock is the main source of livelihood in those areas. Even those areas that are non-ASAL, livestock constitutes an important source of family income and food security. So, if we have this board in place, the challenges that the livestock farmers have faced before will be addressed. Every now and then we hear the Government assisting tea, coffee, cotton and pyrethrum farmers. We have never heard of a situation where livestock farmers are assisted in the same way other sectors are assisted because there is no board in place. All these sectors have agitated for their rights. I am sure there is no household in Kenya that has no livestock products. I hope and believe that once this board is put into operation, we will tap into the vast market that is outside Kenya. We have a lot of livestock but unfortunately, when drought comes, they all die. Even an off take programme for those livestock is not in place. The drought that is about to end has killed several livestock. If we had a board, it would have looked into this matter and I am sure livestock farmers would not have run at a loss. We have markets in Middle East and Europe, but our products cannot sell because of lack of standardadisation. A country like Somalia is able to take its livestock to the Middle East, yet it is unstable. We have been independent since 1963 and yet we do not have a streamlined livestock board that takes care of livestock farmers. We have surplus of livestock. We cannot consume all the livestock in Kenya. Therefore, the rest die when drought comes. This Bill will ensure that we have a board that will streamline all aspects of marketing and production. This is informed by the fact that we need expertise. The board shall consist of the following members: The Chairperson, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry responsible for livestock or their representatives, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry responsible for finance and their representatives, two persons nominated by the Council of Governors with knowledge on livestock matters since livestock is a devolved function, two persons appointed by the Cabinet 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."
}