State bets on BT Cotton to boost production

Anthony Muriithi, the Agriculture and Food Authority acting Director General.

NAIROBI, KENYA: Growing of genetically modified Bt cotton in the country is expected to increase production by a factor of 10 in the initial years and possibly set the near-dead agricultural subsector on a firm footing to recovery.

The Ministry of Agriculture started the distribution of Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis) cotton seeds to farmers as it embarks on revamping the sector, which was a wild success in the 1970s and 80s but has since sunk and has for years been on its deathbed. The attempts to revamp the industry came after the Cabinet approved its commercial adoption after the field trials posted positive results.