Cotton farmers in Kenya to get certified seeds

NAIROBI: The Government has announced plans to provide both financial support and planting materials to over 5,000 cotton farmers.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Sicily Kariuki also confirmed the Government will provide more resources for the farmers in order to meet local and international demands in the current financial year.

“The Government has undertaken a number of measures aimed at revitalising the fibre industry in Kenya. These include mobilisation of 500 cotton farmers in Bura to be financed by Agricultural Finance Corporation, which has already been allocated Sh2 billion through the Ministry of Industrialisation and Enterprise development,” she said.

Ms Kariuki made the remarks during the opening of Fibre Crops Conference at Utalii Hotel, Nairobi, Wednesday. The Government plans to supply over 50,000 metric tonnes of free certified cotton seeds to more than 5,000 farmers starting next short rains season.

Certified seeds are already in production at the Bura Irrigation Scheme. She said the Government is determined to revitalise the textile industry to boost employment. Cotton, she observed, was once among the top crops in 1970s and 1980s.

Introduction of Structural Adjustment Programmes in 1990s by International Monetary Fund and World Bank accelerated the collapse of the sub-sector.