CS Munya's agricultural reforms rejected

Governors and Senators have rejected Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya’s reforms.

According to them their main concern is that the Ministry of Agriculture has sidelined counties in the process of developing the sector's legislative and regulatory framework. 

They argued that the CS should not initiate new regulations in the sector without the involvement of county governments.

On Friday, the Senate Committee released a statement saying, “The Senate shall summon the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture to elaborate the policy framework that is being applied to undertake the ongoing agricultural reforms by the Ministry."

On the same day, the Senate Committee and the Council of Governors Committee on Agriculture  held a consultative meeting in Mombasa to deliberate on issues affecting the agricultural sector. 

The agenda of the meeting was the review of all laws in the sector to ensure that they conform with the Constitution.

Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga led the Senate team and Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki led the CoG Agriculture committee .

The leaders differed with gazettement of Sugar and Tea regulations teaming it invalid because it does not comply with the Constitution.

On October 15, CS Munya invited to thehe  public to comments on the five agricultural reform bills. 

They include the Horticulture Crops Authority Bill,  the Miraa, Pyrethrum, and Industrial Crops Bill, Coffee Bill, Food Crops Development Bill, Crops Authority Bill, and Fibre Crops Development Authority Bill. 

According to the CS, the incomes of farmers are likely to increase with the on-going agricultural reforms that are in tandem with the government-sponsored bills. 

However, the Senators responded by saying that they will disregard bills concerning county governments developed without proper and meaningful consultation.

Senator Ndwiga said within six months, the committee will indulge in a legislative review of all the laws in the sector enacted before  the Constitution was promulgated. 

The process will enable the repealing or amending of some laws that create state agencies to undertake devolved functions.

They agreed to engage the ministry, Parliament and the presidential task force on coffee reforms to review the implementation of the Coffee General Regulations 2019. 

They are also pushing for the Coffee Exchange Regulations 2020 to begin on November 1 and not July 1, 202,1 as was proposed. 

The leaders also spoke on coffee reforms and asserted that the ministry and Capital Markets Authority will eliminate the requirement of the one million dollar bank guarantee so that farmers can trade coffee efficiently. 

In their joint communique, the two committees, stated, “No national budget shall be passed without at least 10 per cent of allocation to the agriculture sector. The Council of Governors and the Senate will commit to fighting cartels in the agriculture sector."