Inside Sh400m drive to revive cotton industry

BY LAWRENCE ONGARO

The Government has partnered with Thika Cloth Mills to distribute Bt cotton seeds worth Sh400 million to farmers in seven counties in a renewed effort to revive Kenya’s cotton industry and boost local textile manufacturing.

The seed distribution, being undertaken through the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), targets farmers in Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Kirinyaga, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui ahead of the anticipated El Niño rains.

The initiative is expected to increase cotton production, reduce farmers’ production costs and provide local textile manufacturers with a reliable supply of raw materials.

Speaking at Mutuobare in Kiambere Ward, Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County, farmers welcomed the intervention, saying the provision of free, high-quality Bt cotton seeds would encourage more growers to return to cotton farming.

Farmers Francis Runje and Joseph Nyagah said the initiative would ease the financial burden on small-scale farmers, noting that a kilogramme of Bt cotton seeds previously cost approximately Sh4,000.

They said the genetically modified variety takes about three months to mature, compared with approximately six months for conventional cotton varieties.

The farmers added that Bt cotton produces more bolls and is more resistant to destructive pests, giving growers better prospects of increased harvests and improved household incomes.

They urged fellow farmers to plant early and take advantage of the anticipated rains to maximise production.

Cotton revival gains momentum

Thika Cloth Mills Chief Executive Officer Tejal Dhodhia said Kenya’s cotton industry was experiencing renewed growth following years of declining production that had forced textile manufacturers to import raw materials from neighbouring countries, particularly Uganda and Tanzania.

She attributed the turnaround to sustained efforts since 2016 to promote the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya initiative and Government interventions aimed at encouraging farmers to resume cotton cultivation.

Bt cotton seeds distributed to farmers in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County. Photo: Courtesy

Dhodhia cited President William Ruto’s directive to increase the cotton purchase price from Sh52 to Sh72 per kilogramme as a major incentive that had helped attract farmers back to the sector.

She said increased local production had created opportunities for the country to explore exporting surplus cotton instead of relying heavily on imports.

Dhodhia, who has invested in supporting farmers through the purchase and distribution of cotton seeds and pesticides, welcomed the Government’s Sh409 million seed intervention, saying it would complement private sector efforts to expand production.

She assured farmers that Thika Cloth Mills and other industry players were ready to purchase their cotton at Sh72 per kilogramme.

She urged growers to embrace early planting and proper crop management to improve yields and guarantee better returns.

A storage facility for Bt cotton in Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County. Photo: Courtesy

The chief executive also called on Kenyans to support locally manufactured products, saying increased domestic consumption and Government procurement were essential to sustaining industries and creating employment.

She cited contracts awarded to Thika Cloth Mills to manufacture uniforms for the Kenya Defence Forces, National Youth Service and National Police Service as examples of how Government support for local manufacturers could stimulate economic growth.

Dhodhia said connecting farmers directly to domestic textile manufacturers would establish a sustainable value chain, creating employment opportunities from cotton farms to factories.

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire welcomed the partnership between the national Government and private investors, urging farmers in Mbeere North and other cotton-growing areas to take advantage of the free seeds and available market.

She pledged that her administration would collaborate with the national Government and private investors to strengthen agricultural production, empower farmers and improve rural livelihoods.

Mbarire said the revival of cotton farming could become an important driver of economic growth in Embu County, particularly in areas where farmers have suitable conditions for cotton cultivation.