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{
    "id": 947878,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/947878/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Wilberforce Oundo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13331,
        "legal_name": "Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo",
        "slug": "wilberforce-ojiambo-oundo-2"
    },
    "content": "Two, on the issue of the definition of livestock, we know we might have our cultural restrictions but elsewhere in the world, donkey meat is a delicacy. I am also told that dog meat is a delicacy in other jurisdictions. Since we are talking about marketing, promotion and exporting, we should have given some thought to allowing this kind of business to thrive in this country. Nevertheless, when you look at the issue of livestock products, it seems to have been narrowly defined as my colleagues, including Hon. Sankok, have mentioned. Livestock waste is a nutritious additive to various animal feeds. It can also be used as manure, especially the cow dung. Chicken droppings are good for fish and the rest of the other livestock. So, it will be important, at the appropriate time, to expand that definition to allow for further inclusion of other by-products and products associated with livestock. As my colleagues have said, this Bill focuses more on cattle and camel. That is why our colleagues from the ASAL areas seem to focus much on that area. However, I would prefer that the discussion is expanded to include poultry, dairy, skin and other products that come along with those particular items. We know that, for example, the dairy sector has challenges. One of the problems that I have in particular is the duplication of many other existing boards. It is an indictment on the part of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) as the overall body that is meant to oversee the agriculture and livestock industry. That is because it seems to have either failed or not risen up to the occasion. That is the feeling of a majority of stakeholders. That it has not played its part in the management of the affairs of this particular sector. As we legislate for this Board, it will be important for us to seriously relook at the reason behind the collapse of all corporations that are tasked with the management of the agricultural sector in this country. Honestly, we do not see the impact and effect of AFA in the country. We have the KMC. I am wondering how this Board will dovetail with the functions of KMC. We have the Dairy Marketing Board. How will it connect with the Board to make sure that we do not have a conflict of interest in the matter? We have the Leather Council and I am wondering how it will work together with the Board to avoid duplication and, thus, lead to wastage of funds. In most of the county governments, we have fully-fledged departments or sections that deal with this aspect. My fear and point of concern is that, unless we have a structured approach, this Board will be a hopeless one. It will be a talking shop where members will earn huge salaries but churn out policy papers that have no value. They will have no direct contact with external markets because they would be domiciled in the wrong Ministry. They will have no connection with the external markets. I would propose, at the appropriate time, that we domicile this board where it deserves to sit so that it has the intended impact. I can see the spirit of the Bill is to allow livestock products to be marketed and to allow farmers to reap the biggest benefits from their endeavours. But as it stands now, it is going to become another white elephant; another of those forgotten boards. I would urge that once it comes into place, the focus should be products quality. How do we get quality products to meet international standards? There is the issue of value addition. There is also the issue of licensing importers and exporters of livestock products. It has health and trade implications internationally. So, we must have a board that is able to manage those affairs. There is the issue of the strategic food reserve. To what extent will the board ensure that we stabilise strategic food reserve? When we look at the composition, there is the challenge of excluding the Permanent Secretary or the Cabinet Secretary for Trade because marketing is a trade affair. I am also perturbed that there is no mention of persons living with disabilities. The Bill does not seem to provide any express provision. I would imagine under Clause 6(e) which provides for two 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."
}