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{
    "id": 977128,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/977128/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 256,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Igembe South, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Paul Mwirigi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1574,
        "legal_name": "Cyprian Kubai Iringo",
        "slug": "cyprian-kubai-iringo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Hon. (Dr.) Eseli rose to point-check what is ailing the CRI. The Speaker had directed the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock to conduct research and get to know what the problem was. Truly, as per the Report, it seems there is a very big problem at the CRI. I visited that entity myself. Something needs to done. Hon. (Dr.) Eseli talked about what is happening there. I would like to attest to what he just said. Indeed, most of the scientists are ageing. The Institute has 17 scientists only. They are very few and so, they lack capacity. As I said, most of them are almost retiring. Once the current staff retires, I do not know whether we will be talking about the CRI. It is now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It is high time the Government associated itself with this research entity and ensured that we have a good composition of scientists. If that is not done, coffee research in the entire country will not be done. Many regions in this country grow coffee, but the extension officers mandated in those areas are nowhere to be found. The entity is not funded the way it should be. The CRI came up with their latest variety of coffee in 2010, namely, Ruiru 11, but they could not tell us when they would come up with a new variety. It seems even difficult to encourage farmers to grow coffee. They lack confidence in the Institute. At the same time, the equipment used at the facility is old. It has been in use since the 1950s. I do not know if we are making any strides or we are lagging behind. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Government, day in day out, tells citizens that it is doing something to uplift agriculture in the country. But the personnel who are supposed to conduct research and educate farmers on how to deal with some diseases do not work because they are not funded. It is time for the Government to fund the CRI, so that it works well for the coffee farmers."
}