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{
"id": 1546382,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546382/?format=api",
"text_counter": 151,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. Hon. Christine Ombaka, Member for Siaya County"
},
{
"id": 1546383,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546383/?format=api",
"text_counter": 152,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Siaya County, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Christine Ombaka",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I would like to support my colleague and friend, Hon. Atandi, who also comes from Siaya, where I am the Woman Representative. He is one of the Members from there. I support this Motion because it deals with food on the table. It is about food security and it ensures that there is no hunger in this country. This country has been known to suffer from hunger because of lack of food. People in this country have died in the past because of hunger. With such a scenario, the best option we have is this Bill. This Bill will improve the situation, so that we do not have people dying of hunger like in the past. Farmers need manure and fertilisers. As I 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": 1546384,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546384/?format=api",
"text_counter": 153,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Siaya County, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Christine Ombaka",
"speaker": null,
"content": "speak, I am receiving messages from farmers who are planting that they want seeds and fertilisers. They want me to support them. But as an individual, how can I do that in the whole Siaya County? People want me to support them by giving them fertiliser. We have subsidised fertilisers. But even the subsidised fertiliser is still expensive for our people. They cannot afford it. That is why they want me to step in and support them. That means that if we produce fertilisers locally, it may be cheaper and, therefore, it may be possible for many people to access it. That is why it is important we have an institution that can produce cheap fertilisers that are easily accessed by farmers to enable them produce crops and food for food security. It is common sense. It is key that we support this Bill and stop importation of fertilisers. We have seen what importation has done in the past. They imported fake fertilisers that would not help us. Such fertilisers are dangerous, poisonous and not good for food production. If we go local, we may succeed. It will bring the cost down and more people will access fertilisers. More farmers will benefit and they will produce more food and in turn, we will have food security. It is common sense. We have universities with departments of agriculture. We also have colleges that train people in agriculture. We also have a Ministry of Agriculture. What have these institutions been doing all these years? By now we should be independent to produce our own fertilisers. We should also be able to distribute them across the country, sustain our lives, and put food on our table. So, the challenge here is the very institutions that train people in agriculture. What are the universities doing? We need an answer from them. What are they doing in terms of producing cheap fertiliser that can be accessed by many people? What is the Ministry of Agriculture doing? What are these colleges doing? Where are the farmers who need these things? We need more farmers, both large-scale and small-scale. The local women in the villages farm even if they have little gardens that need fertilisers. I saw on television some young people trying to come up with fertilisers they can use to plant some crops. But they are small scale. They try and that is an effort. So, these are very encouraging initiatives. There are people who have come up with ways to improve food production. But if the Government comes wholesale into this matter, supported by local people and by those who know how to farm, this country will be very far. I support this Motion because it is going to eradicate hunger and poverty and many people will not go without food. The challenge is how to look for funds to start big plants that can produce fertilisers for our people. The first step is to be on our own. We cannot continue importing dangerous fertilisers that we do not know how they are manufactured and how safe they are. So, let us go local to make it cheaper. Let more people access it and let there be more food on the table to eradicate hunger and poverty in this country. I thank Hon. Atandi. This is something we must go far with because it is on high demand. We need local fertilisers, but not the imported ones. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity."
},
{
"id": 1546385,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546385/?format=api",
"text_counter": 154,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachel Nyamai): Thank you. Hon. Wilfer, Wilfer"
},
{
"id": 1546386,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546386/?format=api",
"text_counter": 155,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Laugher)"
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{
"id": 1546387,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546387/?format=api",
"text_counter": 156,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": ". Sorry about my kikamba accent. Hon. Wilberforce Oundo, Member for Funyula."
},
{
"id": 1546388,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546388/?format=api",
"text_counter": 157,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Sometimes, my name can be a tongue twister, but you have done your best. Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to stand on this Floor at this moment to support the Motion by Hon. Samuel Atandi regarding supporting and promoting local fertiliser manufacturing industries. For many years, agriculture has been the mainstay of the people of Kenya and for many years, it has been like the black gold for the people of Kenya. However, over the years, productivity has reduced considerably for various reasons. One of the reasons has been depletion of natural resources and nutrients in the soil because of over cropping. There have 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": 1546389,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546389/?format=api",
"text_counter": 158,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
"speaker": null,
"content": "also been result of bad agricultural practices that have literally decimated the good part of the soil. We remember many years back, during the days of President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, he would lead daily and weekly activities to fix gabions and plant trees in order to manage soil erosion. There is a plethora of reasons that have led to soil failure and reduced productivity. It is, therefore, inevitable that in many parts of this country, commercial or chemical fertilisers are becoming almost a necessity, a requirement for anyone to produce any food of any value. I come from Busia. We have not been keen consumers or major consumers of fertilisers because our soils have remained fertile and generally have been producing crops adequate to feed ourselves and return something small for commercial purposes. But for the last few years, that is no longer the case. Crop failure has become preeminent. Therefore, it is important that we find ways and means of boosting the application of interventions to improve productivity. Kenya consumes about 700,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser each year. It is projected that for us to sustain food production that can sustain our economy and population, we might have to consume about one billion metric tonnes of fertiliser in the next two to three years. Our manufacturing capacity is literally minimal. It is presumed that almost 90 per cent of the fertiliser used in this country is imported at a heavy cost in terms of foreign exchange, exported jobs and other issues. That is why we urge the executive government, both at the national and county levels, to invest in production of local fertiliser. It is laudable and should be supported wholeheartedly, by all State organs. When you speak to known manufacturers, the Kenya Vision 2030 was supposed to account for 15 per cent of the economy by 2030. It is hardly seven per cent. That means we are lagging behind with less than five years to go. One of the reasons why manufacturing has failed to meet its target is because the cost of production in this country is higher compared to importing. By adding other import taxes, the price of many imported products, including fertiliser, is lower than locally produced products. I urge the Government to assess costs of factors of production and work strategically to reduce the costs. Otherwise, what Hon. Atandi has asked us to resolve will merely add to the many volumes of unimplementable parliamentary or policy decisions. We urge the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Budget and Appropriations Committee to work with the National Treasury, the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) and other economic think tanks to seriously examine how we can reduce the cost of production."
},
{
"id": 1546390,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546390/?format=api",
"text_counter": 159,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Our electricity costs are the highest ever in this part of the world. We cannot compete with Egypt or Ethiopia. Our unpredictable tax regime makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for any manufacturer to have a long-term view or plan. Further, because of our uncanny habit of cutting corners, many products do not even meet local standards set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). As a result, whatever we produce does not benefit us much. It is, therefore, important that all manufacturers that choose to produce fertiliser locally, adhere to the standards set under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), so that they produce globally competitive products."
},
{
"id": 1546391,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1546391/?format=api",
"text_counter": 160,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
"speaker": null,
"content": "It is also important to appreciate that manufactured fertilisers contain chemicals that could turn harmful in the long run and may also deplete the natural ingredients in the soil. As we vouch for local production of fertiliser, can we explore natural ways of improving soil fertility? Our agriculture-based universities can lead research in this matter. We hope and pray that there is sufficient funding for research and development to enable us to proceed."
}
]
}