Farmers will have a reason to smile should the Rice bill currently being devised by MPs sail through.
Once it becomes a law, the bill will address problems facing farmers such as high prices of farm inputs, low yields and poor market prices for post-harvesting produce.
Mwea MP Kabinga Wachira hopes the bill will be adopted and signed into law soon.
He terms it as a game-changer in the rice farming sector that will protect the farmers and help the consumers get good produce.
Wachira said farmers have suffered due to the fluctuation of prices, an act that has left many counting losses, due to the prevailing low market prices.
“It will boost our farmers as the stabilisation fund proposed in the bill will cushion farmers from poor pay for their produce. This will enable them to get good pay for their post-harvest produce, to maximise profits, despite low market prices,” he said.
Wachira said the bill will also address infrastructural challenges that have contributed to low yields.
This includes maintenance of roads and water canals networks connecting through the paddies.
Speaking on Wednesday, the MP said he was dissatisfied with how the pest issue was being addressed.
He hopes with the passage of the bill, adequate attention will be directed towards tackling the snails and birds menace.
“Currently, it’s a challenge to contain quelea birds because when we contact agencies who can help combat the problem, they show up at their convenience,” Wachira said.
“However, once the bill becomes law, they shall be mandated to act swiftly to save farmers from losses.”
He urged farmers to be patient as the snail menace continues to be tackled.
He said experts from different research and agricultural institutes are combining their expertise to come up with a lasting solution.
The first time MP said the bill will enable farmers improve their productivity by allowing the introduction of a variety of rice seeds and adopt modern farming methods.
He urged farmers to capitalise on that to fetch high prices.
“Rice farming has revolutionised over the years. We cannot continue applying the same farming skills. Farmers should adopt the new rice varieties to improve their productivity and profitability,” Wachira said.
He urged the government to offer subsidised fertiliser as the product’s high price has been a great impediment towards the production of high yields.
Wachira urged the ministry to reverse the policy it had earlier adopted to liberalise the distribution of fertilisers and embark on lowering the prices of government distributed fertiliser.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
