THE CROPS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2025

Background

Under the Crops Act (Cap. 318), scheduled crops are subjected to specific regulatory oversight, licensing, and promotional structures. Currently, Miraa (catha edulis) is a scheduled crop listed under Part 3 (Crops with no breeding program) of the First Schedule. The proposed amendment seeks to formally distinguish the plant variety locally known as muguka from Miraa, thereby removing it from the regulatory scope of the Act.

Key Amendments

Amendment of the First Schedule to Cap. 318

Clause 2 of the Bill proposes to amend Part 3 of the First Schedule to the Crops Act by deleting the item:

• Miraa..........catha edulis

And substituting it with:

• Miraa.............catha edulis, but does not include the variety locally referred to as muguka

By establishing this definition, the Bill excludes muguka from the statutory list of scheduled crops.

New Obligations

This Bill does not introduce new regulatory obligations or licensing requirements; instead, it reduces the scope of the Crops Act by excluding the variety locally known as muguka from regulation.

Legislative Declarations

• County Government Functions: Because agriculture and crop husbandry are functions of county governments under Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, this Bill is declared to concern county governments under Article 110(1)(a).
• Financial Implications: The sponsor declares that the Bill is not a money bill within the meaning of Article 114 of the Constitution and will not result in additional public expenditure.