This archive report was first published on 31 July 2019.
At Kajiji village in Kirinyaga County, Julius Kiara's two-acre cotton farm has been a source of meager earnings for years. The irony is that just a short distance away, a genetically modified (GM) cotton crop has been harvested four times since February this year, while Kiara waits for a single harvest in 12 months.
Scientists have been conducting National Performance Trials (NPTs) on cotton since last year, following the intervention of State House after initial attempts were stopped by the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Management Authority. The trials have been conducted in different parts of the country, with the final season of the crop currently in the field.
The GM cotton, which yields four times more than conventional cotton, has given Kiara hope that the cotton sector in the country can be revived. However, his hopes are being dampened by a ban on commercial cultivation of this biotech (Bt) variety.
"I have been surprised with this crop, how it performs with little water and yielding four times within a short time compared with mine. We have been told it is a superior seed called GMO, I do not know what that is but it is the variety that I want in order to revive my cotton farming," Kiara said.
Scientists argue that the Bt cotton is resistant to pests and diseases and has the ability to withstand drought. "This GM cotton is pest-resistant and drought-tolerant and it is the solution to the notorious bollworms that have been affecting production of the crop in the country," said Charles Waturu, a senior scientist with Kenya Agriculture Livestock and Research Organisation (Kalro).
Under the Big Four agenda, the government is targeting manufacturing, especially through textile production, to create more jobs in the country. President Uhuru Kenyatta recently re-commissioned Rivatex Company to promote production of locally made products using cotton produced by local farmers.
Kenya requires 120,000 bales of lint per year, meaning that the country imports more than half of the required quantities to keep factories running. The directorate of fibre crops has been giving incentives to farmers, including planting materials and a good price for their produce when they harvest.
