Lamu County is gearing up for the revival of cotton farming that is expected to support more than 5, 000 jobs in the next three years.
Kenya, the United Kingdom, the Lamu County government, and the private sector last week launched the construction of a ginnery that will be completed by November this year.
The partnership will develop a homegrown cotton industry and allow Kenyan businesses to capitalise on economic opportunities within their own country.
It supports the government textiles and garments national development priority by reducing reliance on foreign imports, which stand at 90 per cent of cotton in the country.
Kenya currently produces 3,000 bales of cotton per year against a demand of between 140,000 to 260,000 bales.
The processing plant is expected to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Lamu County, which lacks industries.
It is hoped that the facility will triple cotton production in Lamu from 2,000 bales per year to 6,000 bales over the next three years.
According to officials, the facility is being constructed close to farms to reduce transportation costs and provide farmers with a larger market for their produce.
It also set to set to serve Tana River, Kilifi, Kwale, and Taita Taveta counties.
The launch was presided over by Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Mr Lee Kinyanjui, British deputy high commissioner Ed Barnett, Lamu governor Issa Timamy, principal secretary for Investments Mr Abubakar Hassan, and Thika Cloth Mills managing director Ms Tejal Dodhia.
"The ginnery, by Thika Cloth Mills, will boost cotton uptake and thus earn farmers more income, create jobs and provide raw materials for the textile industry," said Kinyanjui.
He noted that the infrastructure supporting export, including a special economic zone, Lamu Port, and the Lapsset corridor, will make Lamu the hub for investors in the region.
Dr Barnett noted that the project will reduce reliance on imports and put money in the pockets of farmers.
He stated that the national government, UK, and the county government have joined forces with the private sector to deliver 5,000 jobs and future economic growth.
"This partnership will reduce reliance on imports, put money in the pockets of farmers. It will strengthen, stabilize, and support a sustainable homegrown cotton industry in Kenya," he said.
The programme falls under the UK's Sustainable Urban Economic Development Programme (SUED), which aims to add value to Kenyan agricultural produce before export.
SUED is a seven-year 43 sterling pound (about Sh7 billion) programme that seeks to create jobs and promote inclusive economic growth in selected municipalities across Kenya, including investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and agricultural processing projects.
SUAD has operated in Lamu county for four years and has secured investors for the cotton ginnery, fish, coconut, and cashew nuts processing facilities.
The UK has provided seed funding to de-risk the investment for all partners involved. The government has provided additional funding while Thika Cloth Mills has given the remaining funds and Lamu county government the land for the ginnery.
