AFA Pushes Cotton Revival in Kwale with Seed Distribution for New Kinondo Ginnery

The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has distributed cotton seedlings and inputs to farmers in Kwale County as part of efforts to revive the crop and feed a new ginnery set to open in the Kinondo area.

AFA Chairman Cornelly Serem led the initiative, handing over 300 kilogrammes of BT cotton seeds and pesticides to boost production. He also distributed 10,000 Bixa (Mrangi) seedlings to support crop diversification and improve farmer incomes.

Serem urged farmers to scale up cotton output significantly. The upcoming ginnery will require more than four tonnes of cotton daily, but current local production falls far short of this demand.

“We need to increase production to meet the ginnery’s processing capacity,” Serem emphasised during the distribution exercise.

The move aims to revitalise cotton farming in the coastal region, which has strong potential due to favourable climate and existing farmer interest. A reliable supply of raw cotton will help the new facility operate at full capacity, create jobs in ginning and related value chains, and reduce reliance on imported fibre.

Diversification for Better Incomes

Alongside cotton, the distribution of Bixa seedlings promotes diversification. Bixa, used in food colouring and cosmetics, offers farmers an additional income stream and helps spread risk in the face of climate variability.

AFA officials said the authority will continue supporting farmers with extension services, market linkages, and best practices to ensure higher yields and quality produce. The initiative aligns with national goals to strengthen industrial crops and agro-processing under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Cotton farming in Kenya has declined over the years due to challenges such as pests, low prices, and competition from synthetic fibres. However, renewed government and private sector interest, including new ginneries, is sparking fresh optimism among growers.

Farmers who received the inputs welcomed the support and pledged to expand their acreage. Many expressed hope that consistent markets and fair prices will sustain their interest in the crop.

The Kinondo ginnery is expected to stimulate economic activity in Kwale by creating direct and indirect jobs while adding value to locally produced cotton. Officials anticipate that successful revival of the sector could attract more investment in textile and apparel manufacturing further down the value chain.

AFA said similar support programmes will be rolled out in other cotton-growing counties to rebuild national production and meet domestic and regional demand.

The authority continues to work with county governments, processors, and development partners to address challenges in the cotton value chain and unlock its full potential for farmers and the economy.