HON ALLAN CHESANG PRESENT DURING THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
The Senate standing committee on Livestock and Agriculture on Friday the 6th, 8th,9th and, 10th held public participations on Tea (amendment) bill, 2023. The committee were in Bomet, Kericho, Kirinyaga and, Nyeri respectively. The Committee was chaired by Kirinyaga County Sen. James Kamau Murango. They have received submissions on Tea (amendment) at Sosiot Girls High School in Kericho county. They paid a a courtesy call to the Kericho Governor Eric Kipkoech Mutai and deliberated on issues affecting Tea farmers in the county.
This Bill, which has been sponsored by Bomet County Sen. Hillary Sigei seeks to amend certain provisions in the Tea act, 2020. It will help protect the tea growers proceeds from mismanagement by factories. Moreover, aiming to incentivize value addition of tea by exempting value added tea from payment of tea levy. Further seeking to liberalize the tea industry through direct sales of tea overseas.
The objective of the Bill is to provide for the development and regulation of the Coffee and Tea industry in Kenya. This will be done through a proposal by transitioning the regulatory and commercial roles currently undertaken by the Agriculture and food Authority to the Coffee Board in Kenya. Then further transition the research of coffee currently undertaken by the Coffee Research Institute under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization to the Coffee Research Institute.
As a member of Agriculture and Livestock committee in the Senate, Trans-Nzoia Senator, Allan Chesang, during the public participation has reiterated that, these reforms will be a game changer and the local farmer will be the biggest benefactor. The Senator is from Trans-Nzoia that is considered the basket of the country in terms of Agriculture.
The Agriculture committee has been conducting this four days Public participation in Bomet, Kericho, Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties. They will continue engaging the members of the public in other tea and coffee areas listen to their grievances and, areas that they need the Government to intervene. Other areas of agriculture will also be addressed. This is in line with the Presidents agriculture Agenda and, promises to the people.