KISUMU COUNTY ASSEMBLY PETITION SENATE

Nov 26, 2014 William Adoyo Kisumu, National, News, Regional 0

By Kevin Omondi

Kisumu County Assembly petitioned the Senate to amend some sections of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) Act 2013 before it is signed into law.

Ahero Ward Representative Maurice Aloo who moved a motion to petition the senate said that the AFFA Act cannot be implemented the way it is since its very draconian to sugarcane farmers in Western Kenya.

Aloo noted that the Act says that growers of sugar crop shall be registered by the Authority as provided in the Crops Act 2013.

He further stated that the Crops Act puts the number of acreage a farmer must have to be put under cane to qualify for registration.

He noted that most farmers are small-scale holders and might not have the capacity to own huge acreage and might be locked out from farming sugar.

The Assembly Majority Leader Samuel Ongou who supported the petition says the AFFA Act will also limit sugarcane farmers to one miller.

The Act reads that no person shall move or cause to move sugar crop across miller zones without a crop movement permit administered by the board.

He said such a clause will infringe on the farmers’ rights by not allowing them to sell their cane to their preferred millers.

Ongou says some millers are not prompt in paying for the cane delivered and farmers should be allowed to sell their cane to a miller of their choice.

The assembly Speaker Gabriel Ochieng directed the office of the Clerk to forward to the Senate the petition.

MCAs Joshua Auko, Fanuel Aim and Charles Aguko from sugar growing zones supported the petition noting if enacted into law without amendments will kill the sugar sector in Western Kenya.