Kenya: Cotton Production Plan Inspired

Nairobi

The past four years of the Narc administration has seen a steady revival of agriculture, which is the mainstay of the economy.

Milk, coffee and tea production have grown as a result of strategic plans devised to give them a new lease of life after years of decline.

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Even so, a number of agricultural products have not recorded similar level of attention and growth. Cotton, sugar, sisal and other equally potentially profitable produce are not recording the envisaged levels of success.

It is against this background that the move to pump in resources into crops like cotton is timely. Agriculture permanent secretary Romano Kiome says the Government is intent on putting in some Sh290 million this financial year to help boost cotton production twofold - from the current 40,000 bales to 70,000 bales a year.

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Clearly, this is a positive leap, but much more must be done in other areas of crop production as well as marketing and distribution. Besides funding, it is critical to address issues of infrastructure and management.

This country once had thriving irrigation projects that yielded huge produce. But they all went under due to poor management, leaving a trail of poverty as people's only means of incomes were destroyed.

Thus, while commending the Government for reversing this trend, the time has come to consolidate the gains and move to pump in resources to jumpstart the production of all other crops that promise to improve the economy.