Growing mung beans (ndengu) without a licence will soon be an offense attracting a fine of up to Sh1 million or two years in jail, or both, should a new Bill in Parliament be passed into law.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The Mung Beans Bill, 2022, currently before the Senate, sets tough conditions for licensing of marketers, processors and large-scale traders of the beans. It states that a person shall not market, process or carry out large-scale trading in mung beans or products unless the person has obtained a licence from the relevant county government. The licence will be renewed annually.
“A person who contravenes the provisions commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both,” states the Bill.
For effective implementation of the provision, relevant county ministers will be expected to establish a county licensing committee. The Bill states that a county government may enact legislation setting out the criteria for the issuance of a licence and information required to be submitted by an applicant.
“A county licensing committee may cancel a licence issued under this Act where the holder of such a licence is in breach of the provisions of this Act or any other relevant national or county legislation,” reads the Bill.
The Bill by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua underwent first reading on February 15, 2023 before going through subsequent legislative processes and was passed in February 2024 with amendments and referred to the National Assembly for concurrence.
A county minister will be expected to keep and maintain a register of all licenses issued as well as provide the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) with information on all growers registered and licences issued, cancelled or renewed on the fifth day of every month.
The Bill also provides that every grower shall register with the relevant county minister who will be required to maintain a register. The registration will capture details including the name of the grower, location, size and parcel number of the land and the variety grown. However, each county will be allowed to enact legislation setting out the criteria for the registration of a grower within its jurisdiction.
Mr Wambua said coming up with such a law is imperative as it will weed out exploitative brokers. He said the law will enable Kitui farmers and those in other counties who grow the cereal to reap benefits.
“The passing of the Bill will see the development of a framework to regulate and promote the development of the mung beans industry in Kenya to make it competitive at the international level, leading to increased productivity and higher income for growers,” he said.
The Bill further seeks to provide support for farmers of mung beans in each county in the production and marketing of their produce as well as encouraging the use of the beans as a food security item by the national and county governments in their various feeding policies and programmes…CONTINUE READING>>
