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{
    "id": 948635,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/948635/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 217,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kibiru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13196,
        "legal_name": "Charles Reubenson Kibiru",
        "slug": "charles-reubenson-kibiru"
    },
    "content": "Let us agree that we meet the aggregators. The farmer should not be left on the out to look for markets, but at the same time, we need transparency in the way we do our things. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a lot has been said about KTDA and the factories. The Committee in charge of agriculture needs to look at the agreements that the factories get into with the agency. It looks like it is lopsided, because you will find that although a factory is autonomous and is registered as a limited company, it has no autonomy in making its own decisions. Even the directors who are elected there cannot buy or pay without getting consent from the KTDA. That eco-system of production and marketing needs to be re-looked at again; and we should go back to the drawing board. We should treat all farming activities as commercial ventures, be it maize, tea or coffee. That way, we will empower our people economically. Somebody said that agriculture is the backbone of this country. If that is true, which I believe it is, then let us get out of our comfort zones, go back to the drawing board, relook at the policies that we are putting in place and stop joking with farmers. Somebody said that we probably want to keep them poor so that they can keep on electing us, as we give them handouts. We will never be forgiven as leaders if we move in that direction. Mr. Deputy Speaker Sir, this is something that I believe the Senate should take very seriously because this is a devolved function. If we cannot, then we will be blamed by the current generation and the future generations because the economic power of the people who rely on farming will go down the drain. I do support the Report of the ad hoc Committee. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir,"
}