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{
"id": 1546372,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546372/?format=api",
"text_counter": 141,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Moiben, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Phylis Bartoo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. To the students in the House, I welcome you to this very important House where laws of the land are made. My name is Professor Phylis Bartoo, Member of Parliament for Moiben Constituency. Before I became a Member of Parliament, I was a professor of Linguistics at Egerton University for 25 years. I welcome you and encourage you to work hard in school. Be disciplined and focused and eventually you may find yourselves here or become very senior members of the Republic of Kenya, including becoming the President of the Republic of Kenya. Karibuni sana and feel at home. Hon. Temporary Speaker, regarding fertilisers, I am a beneficiary of farming. I got a chance to go to school because my parents were farmers. It is important that we encourage local manufacturers because we, as a country, have come of age. We have the best researchers in the country who can test our soil and determine the kind and quality of fertiliser we require. We no longer need to depend on imports from other countries which we are not sure of their quality. We cannot control their entry because sometimes our officers at the entry points are compromised. It is planting season right now in my county, and we are supposed to plant. We should have started even as early as last month. The stress which farmers are undergoing in the North Rift is huge. In Moiben Constituency, I have three cooperatives tasked with the responsibility of distributing fertilisers to farmers. At the moment, the farmers are queuing at the Progressive Farmers’ Cooperative Society, but there is no fertiliser. When you go to Tuiyotich Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Sergoit Ward, the farmers are queuing, but there is no fertiliser. There is also no fertiliser at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in Eldoret. If we can encourage and support our local manufacturers to manufacture fertiliser, they will ensure that it is available and timely throughout the year. Our farmers will not be waiting until the planting season so that they can rush to the NCPB to queue. Sometimes, some of them go back without getting it which becomes very expensive. If this fertiliser is available and it is manufactured by the local manufacturers, it will create employment for our young people. If we will have several manufacturers pitched in several parts of Kenya, all these young people, scholars and researchers who have gone to school, studied and are experts in agriculture, will be utilised. This is also another way of creating employment. It will ease the burden of the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1546373,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546373/?format=api",
"text_counter": 142,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Moiben, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Phylis Bartoo",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Government of caring for the unemployed young people. I saw on social media that there is a group of youth who have started a party called Jobless Youth in Kenya. They want to register it as a political party. We should be creative and look for avenues where local manufacturers create job opportunities and support society. Manufacturing fertiliser is very key because it will enable us to be exporters. Why should we import fertiliser from other countries, yet we have capacity to manufacture enough for Kenya and rest of Africa? We can even export it to other countries like China where most people bring fertiliser from. We have the ingredients, scholars, capacity and brains to do this. What are we waiting for? It is high time we took it seriously and implemented it. It should not be a matter of debating it here in the House and then it goes to the archives and nothing happens. We should walk the talk. Let us encourage and promote our local manufacturers. Let them even begin work as soon as yesterday, so that we have enough fertiliser next year. Our farmers were duped last year. They bought sub-standard fertiliser and even the production was very poor. Some of them bought very expensive and useless fertiliser which is not suitable for their soil. There was a shortage and farmers were desperate. They were willing to pay something to get fertiliser so that they could plant. The planting season in Kenya is very definite. If you miss it, you lose it. When it is your turn to plant and you do not have the fertiliser, it becomes problematic. I am very happy because this Motion is being debated today. I look forward to seeing our manufacturers rolling and starting the manufacturing business. We will not only build capacity for farmers, but also enable them to continue farming by giving them subsidy. Let it remain with our local manufacturers. Let us support and grow our manufacturers. Let us believe in ourselves and Kenya by believing that everything is possible. We should not look at our borders for support. We have come of age. It is high time we sat, had confidence in ourselves and supported our local manufacturers. It will be good all the way. I support the Motion."
},
{
"id": 1546374,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546374/?format=api",
"text_counter": 143,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you. Hon. Members, I would like to welcome students seated in the Public Gallery. We have students from Chelilis Girls’ Secondary School from Bureti Constituency in Kericho County. Welcome to the National Assembly to observe the proceedings of the House. We can welcome them in our usual way."
},
{
"id": 1546375,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546375/?format=api",
"text_counter": 144,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Applause)"
},
{
"id": 1546376,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546376/?format=api",
"text_counter": 145,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you. Hon. Members, I will allow the Member for Keiyo North to welcome the students. He is first in line. Hon. Adams Kipsanai, Member for Keiyo North, welcome students and continue with the debate."
},
{
"id": 1546377,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546377/?format=api",
"text_counter": 146,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Keiyo North, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Adams Korir",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to welcome our students to this House of Parliament where laws are made. As they pursue their studies, I encourage them to have a vision and an interest that one day they will serve in this august House. I also thank the parents for putting effort in paying their school fees in order to see their children pursue education. Welcome to this House and feel encouraged. I thank Hon. Atandi for coming up with this very important Motion. Fertiliser is very important in this country. It beats logic that we are the leaders and giants in the region in terms of infrastructure, digital development, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and economy, but we have failed to sort out the food security of our people. This Motion is even late. The decision to establish a manufacturing plant for fertiliser in our country is a bit late. However, it will very important because this is the only way of guaranteeing food security to our population and creating job opportunities for Kenyans. Kenya The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1546378,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546378/?format=api",
"text_counter": 147,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Keiyo North, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Adams Korir",
"speaker": null,
"content": "is blessed to have a young population most of whom are unemployed. This is the only way they can be encouraged to join agribusiness, advance themselves economically and have something in their pockets. Secondly, it is about food safety. Currently in our country and in the world, we have many cases of diseases which are mainly caused by what we consume. Research shows that cancer is caused by what we consume as a population. Having a manufacturing firm that takes care of the interest of our population is very important. Farmers are making minimal profit margins because of the cost of fertiliser. If we have a manufacturing firm within our country, Kenyans will afford fertiliser because it will be cheap. This will enable them to break the margin. As a country, that is the only way that we will stabilise our economy and help our farmers grow themselves. Supporting and promoting local fertiliser manufacturing industries will also sort out short supply. At the moment, there are many farmers who are trying to beat deadlines. We have planting cycles, and if a farmer misses the first part of the year, especially in the North Rift and other parts of the country, it becomes extremely difficult to cultivate again. Despite the Government's significant effort in subsidising fertiliser, which has provided some relief to farmers, it has not fully addressed the longstanding issue affecting agriculture in this country. The problem is minimal supply. The initiative to establish a fertiliser manufacturing plant in Kenya will help us in resolving these challenges. However, as we discuss domestic fertiliser production as a country, we must reflect on a pertinent issue. The Jubilee Government initiated a fertiliser manufacturing plant in Uasin Gishu around 2014-2016, yet the project did not take off. When we asked questions, we were told that vested interests intervened, including cartels keen on maintaining the import supply chain of the fertiliser. Beyond these interests, the cost of production remains a significant deterrent. Many individuals are hesitant to establish farms in Kenya due to high electricity costs and the extensive list of business requirements, including numerous licences from county and national governments. It is imperative to streamline these bureaucratic demands for any investor keen on establishing a fertiliser manufacturing facility in our country. This would create employment opportunities for the youth, ensure timely fertiliser supply to farmers, and enhance national food security. I commend Hon. Atandi for bringing this important Motion. It will help in advancing our country’s agricultural sector. As I wind up, I want to acknowledge the Government's ongoing efforts to support farmers, despite the persistent challenges they face in crop production."
},
{
"id": 1546379,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546379/?format=api",
"text_counter": 148,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Danson Mwashako, Member for Wundanyi."
},
{
"id": 1546380,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546380/?format=api",
"text_counter": 149,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Wundanyi, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Danson Mwashako",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to contribute to this significant Motion brought by Hon. Atandi, advocating for the prioritisation of fertiliser manufacturing in Kenya. Kenya is known for many things. If you look at it, our universities produce top researchers, and our rapid adoption of technology has positioned us as a potential first-world country. However, despite these achievements, we have neglected our fundamental needs, particularly agriculture. For the longest time, 80 per cent of Kenya’s population has been supported by agriculture, which remains the backbone of our economy. We have been told this many times. Rather than focusing on enhancing agricultural productivity, we have prioritised trade at the expense of food security. This Motion, calling for the establishment of a fertiliser plant, deserves full support from Parliament and across the country. More importantly, the Government must swiftly implement the resolution passed by this House at the end of the Motion. The national fertiliser The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1546381,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546381/?format=api",
"text_counter": 150,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Wundanyi, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Danson Mwashako",
"speaker": null,
"content": "subsidy programme, which we have been running, has been consuming substantial resources, but still faces numerous challenges. Every budget year, billions of shillings are allocated to this fertiliser subsidy programme, but there are many issues that bedevil the programme. Farmers continue to suffer due to delays in fertiliser distribution. These delays disrupt farming cycles and undermine agricultural productivity. Although the Government claims that the subsidy has improved food production, as the President recently talked of how much we produce, concerns remain. This planting season, some farmers have yet to receive fertiliser despite the season nearing its end. The sustainability of fertiliser subsidies is questionable, and we cannot continue relying on them. Its sustainability raises a lot of questions. We ask ourselves: For how long are we going to subsidise fertiliser? While the cost has been reduced from Ksh6,000 to Ksh2,500 per bag, we must ask: For how long can we sustain this subsidy? With constrained resources, continuous subsidisation is not viable. Over the past few years, the Government has spent more than Ksh50 billion on subsidies, an amount that could have been used to establish a fertiliser manufacturing plant. This Motion has come at the right time. Parliament must set clear timelines for implementation to ensure national food security. If we are to have food security as a country, we cannot continue relying on imported fertiliser. It exposes us to external disruptions, as seen during the post COVID-19 period and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which have significantly affected global supply chains. Kenya remains vulnerable to geopolitical tensions that impact fertiliser-producing countries such as China, Russia, and the United States. Across Africa, fertiliser manufacturing is concentrated in North Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa. In our region, there are no major fertiliser producers, presenting Kenya with a significant market opportunity. With the East African region's population exceeding 250 million, local production would not only enhance our food security, but also create an export market, strengthening our economy. Food security is a global priority, and Kenya must take decisive action. I am happy that this Motion has been introduced by the new Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriation Committee. If we just talk without putting in resources, then nothing will come out of our discussion here. As we move towards tabling the 2025/2026 Budget, it is essential to allocate seed capital to support research, promote, and implement the idea we are discussing today. Without financial backing, this discussion will remain theoretical, with no tangible outcomes. I urge the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriation Committee to ensure that the Ministry of Agriculture secures the necessary funds to advance this initiative. Establishing a fertiliser manufacturing plant will guarantee food security, increase agricultural yields, and position Kenya as a leader in the regional market. We can improve the yields of our farmers by getting cheap fertiliser. At the same time, we can create employment for millions of our young people who are out there seeking for jobs, but are unable to get employment. I, therefore, support the Motion."
}
]
}