The national government has distributed BT cotton seeds worth sh3 million to farmers to promote crop production in Homa Bay.
State Department for Industry PS Juma Mukhwana said Homa Bay is among the 14 counties the government is partnering with to realize the production of the crop.
Through sustainable production of the crop, the government will be able to establish industrial parks in the identified counties.
Homa Bay government wants to establish an industrial park or special economic zone at Riwa in Karachuonyo constituency.
The seeds were distributed to 71 farmers' groups across the county.
Mukhwana said they want to establish the park and the cotton factory in Homa Bay to ensure they create job opportunities for the youths.
He said the government will provide pesticides for the farmers to aid the production of the crop.
“Plans are underway to instal ginneries for processing cotton produced in Homa Bay. The government is providing this support to promote crop production,” Mukhwana said.
The PS spoke on Friday during public engagement with cotton farmers at Magare village in Homa Bay.
He was hosted by Governor Gladys Wanga and her deputy Oyugi Magwanga.
Others present were Rivatex managing director Thomas Kurgat, his counterparts at Rift Valley Products Ltd-Salawa Ginnery Sital Panara and Thika Cotton Mill Ltd Tesal Dodiyia.
The PS said the government has set aside Sh250 million for each county as the counties will also allocate the same amount for the project.
"We intend to supply cooperative societies with inputs which farmers can get during planting and pay for the same later,” he said.
Wanga said Homa Bay is partnering with Kisumu and Migori counties to revive cotton production.
The model will ensure the crop is produced in large quantities and that farmers are paid on time.
Wanga said the collapse of the ginneries made many families poor.
"Establishment of new ginneries will bring back the lost glory of cotton farming. Our partnership with other counties will ensure more production of the crop," she said.
Homa Bay has been one the major suppliers of the crop to ginneries in Salawa processing Industry in Baringo. Homa Bay produced and supplied 435,000 kilograms of cotton to ginneries across the country.
Wanga called on youths to join cotton farming for economic empowerment and take after the current old-age farmers.
The governor expressed concern that agricultural production in the county will drop should youths fail to develop an interest in agriculture.
"There needs to be a smooth transition in the management of the cooperative. Youths should now develop and invest in cotton farming and support the county," she said.
Kurgat and Panara said they are ready to support Homa Bay farmers to produce good quality cotton.
"The buy Kenya-build-Kenya initiative would be realized if we embark on serious production of cotton," Kurgat said.