Uhuru’s order on GMO cotton yet to be heeded

Dr. Charles Waturu, Principal Investigator of the BT cotton project at its trial farm in Mwea, Kirinyaga County last week.

A presidential order in August last year by President Uhuru Kenyatta that the country starts growing genetically modified (GMO) cotton in order to provide enough raw materials for the textile industry which is part of his Big 4 Agenda under manufacturing sector is yet to be heeded.

Revival of the cotton growing is expected to offer farmers a new source of income especially in lower parts of Kirinyaga County and relatively drier areas across Kenya which were hit by the collapse of textile industry in the 1980s. Demand for cotton fabrics is also high within the Export Processing Zones which manufactures clothes for the American market as well as local industries that have to import fabric from India and China.