KNCCI and JKUAT sign MoU to promote cotton industry

09 Sep '14

2 min read

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the cotton industry in Kenya, Standard reported.

According to the MoU, the two parties will help the Cotton Development Authority (Coda) to bring more land under cotton farming and help get water for irrigation from the river Tana. Coda has derived a plan to put the declining cotton sector back on track, by including both the small and large scale cotton producers.

Also, as per the MoU, the farmers would be provided new equipment to help increase the cotton farming. The partnership is aimed at increasing cotton production, and generating revenue and employment for the next 10 years.

National Chairman of KNCCI Kiprono Kittony said the role of the chamber will be to source markets for cotton products. Kittony said the MoU with JKUAT will increase the association between agricultural universities and cotton industry.

The Vice National Chairman of KNCCI Laban Onditi said the partnership would promote the cotton industry through enhancement of quality production and value addition. According to Onditi, the partnership will address various problems faced by the cotton industry and also help revive cotton production in the country.

The Vice Chancellor of JKUAT, Prof. Mabel Imbuga, said they would support the research and training of cotton farmers across the country. JKUAT will enter into another partnership with KNCCI to support the textile industry and Bio polymers soon, she said

The Government had recently increased the cotton price from Sh32 per kg to Sh65 per kg to encourage more farmers to venture into the cotton farming.

Kenya is now the largest exporter of textile products to the US in sub-Saharan Africa. (GK)

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