The government will Friday deliver 17 tons of Bt Cotton to Busia, kicking off Kenya Kwanza's plan to revive the sector.
Busia targets to plant a total of 11,253 acres in the first phase, with the ultimate objective being to put 42,000 acres under cotton production in the county.
The project targets to produce at least 800kgs of lint and cotton seed cake per acre, which will translate to more than nine million kilos; three million kilos of lint and six million kilos of cotton seed cake.
Already 82,000 bags of fertilizer have been delivered to the Malaba NCPB depot ready for disbursement to farmers.
The Bt cotton seed being issued through the e-vouchers is a genetically modified hybrid.
There are two types of hybrid cotton-normal and Bt.
Hybrid cotton is more profitable compared to conventional seed with hybrid seed planted in a one-acre farm producing 1,500 kilograms of cotton.
Some 12,000 Kenyans have been registered as cotton farmers on the Kiamis platform.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi told Parliament Wednesday that they intend to get more seeds for distribution.
"In the next two to three months, through the support of partners, we are going to get seed that will be enough to support our farmers," he said.
The government also plans to hire agricultural extension officers to work with farmers in enhancing production per acre.
In the current budget, Agriculture has been allocated Sh49 billion out of which Sh46 billion goes towards crop development.
Cotton production has been allocated Sh120 million.
Last year, the government produced 15, 000 tonnes of cotton and it hopes to triple production this year.
Bt cotton was the first GM crop approved for field cultivation in 2020 when the Ministry of Agriculture distributed one tonne of seeds for planting on 10,000 hectares.
President William Ruto and his cabinet lifted the 10-year ban on genetically modified crops on October 4, 2022.
Lang'ata MP Phelix Odiwuor lauded the government over the plan saying this will see the comeback of Homa Bay cotton ginnery and the revival of Kikomi which was one of the biggest textile companies in the region.
"Kindly, as you go to Busia Bwana CS, kindly remember to bring back cotton to where cotton belongs," he said.