Let MCAs travel and broaden their minds

What you need to know:

  • Although not all trips can pass the “value for money” test, it would be wise to view the flip-side and see the good that has come from such travels.
  • Elected leaders should be allowed to travel to acquire real-world experience, expand their horizons, and connect with the global community.
  • They also learnt policy formulation during farmers’ forums, price-setting for agricultural products, principles of organic farming, and networking for future possible collaborations.

We cannot over-emphasise the importance of prudent use of public resources. As such, we commend the recent investigations carried out in all counties on the issue of trips taken abroad.

Although not all trips can pass the “value for money” test, it would be wise to view the flip-side and see the good that has come from such travels.

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua explained how he managed to build a 33-kilometre road in three months by sub-contracting it to 11 contractors, each taking a three-kilometre section after his tour of Middle East countries.

A recent six-day agricultural study tour of the Netherlands by members of the liaison committee led by the Speaker, Murang’a County Assembly, is proof that elected leaders should be allowed to travel to acquire real-world experience, expand their horizons, and connect with the global community.

Backed by its mandate and an invitation from Agriterra (a Dutch NGO), the committee chairpersons visited the country from June 22 to 28, driven by the objective of sharing cooperative development experiences, value addition and agribusiness development.

They also learnt policy formulation during farmers’ forums, price-setting for agricultural products, principles of organic farming, and networking for future possible collaborations.

The prevailing natural conditions in the Netherlands include a temperate climate with fair rainfall distribution, relatively fertile soils in a flat landscape favouring varied and productive agriculture.

The combination of these factors, together with a government policy that strongly supports a competitive agricultural sector, good entrepreneurial skills, support from state-of-the-art agricultural research and education system, innovative supply and processing industries, the availability of cheap natural gas, as well as the production of cheap fertilisers, have resulted in a strong agricultural sector in the Netherlands.

ALL MILK PRODUCTS PROCESSED

In the dairy sector, the quality of dairy food products is of utmost importance.

As a result, environmental sustainability is incorporated in dairy management practices. All Dutch milk products are processed before consumption.

Automation of the laboratory processes has enhanced efficiency, resulting in timely, proficient and precise deliveries.

The government of Holland has placed quotas on the number of dairy animals to keep and the amount of milk to produce to ensure available resources are enough.

Research and development is very important in ensuring decisions made are evidence-based and that all these decisions incorporate all the relevant value-chain actors.

Quality control is a practice that all the value-chain actors should execute as a matter of course. The returns to investments are pegged on the quality of products delivered.

Unlike in Kenya, Dutch farmers are given priority in all value-chain activities due to the high regard accorded to them as the key initiators of agribusiness.

Counties should embrace value addition for all products within the county. This will ensure that farmers get good returns for their production, boost industrialisation, and create employment.

Mr Kariuki is the Speaker, Murang’a County Assembly.