15 governors set for US trip

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma and his Homabay counterpart Cyprian Awiti . Photo/TOM OTIENO 

In Summary

• The March 8 trip targets governors from Busia, Luo Nyanza, sections of the Coast, Kitui, Makueni and Marakwet.
• Mr Ranguma chairs the Council of Governors’ committee on health and technology.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma will next week lead a team of 14 colleagues on a trip to the US on a learning trip.

The tour to be sponsored by the US government is geared to help them explore ways of boosting cotton farming.

Mr Ranguma chairs the Council of Governors’ committee on health and technology.

“The US is keen to help us embrace biotechnology in cotton farming and revive the sector,” he said.

“The trip will involve governors from cotton growing areas or those from regions with the potential of cultivating the crop,” said Mr Ranguma.

The March 8 trip targets governors from Busia, Luo Nyanza, sections of the Coast, Kitui, Makueni and Marakwet.

Kenya expects to start commercial growing of high yielding biotechnology cotton in 2014 after output declined two decades ago.

The country in 2010 produced about 21,000 bales of cotton. One bale is 170 kilogrammes.

Commercial production of transgenic cotton was introduced in 1996 and is grown in different regions of the world. In Africa, the cotton is commercially grown in South Africa and Burkina Faso.
Some counties such as Busia have set aside funds for the revival of cotton farming,

Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has announced that 50 million will be used to revive four cotton ginneries in the county.

Speaking to the Nation Saturday, he said his government targets the stalled Malakisi, Amukura, Nambale and Muluanda ginneries whose reconstruction will be done in phases.

He said operations at Muluanda ginnery are likely to begin by July this year adding that the facility will offer direct employment to over 200 people.

“We have allocated sh5million for the revival of Muluanda ginnery and a further Sh15 million each for the remaining three ginneries,” said Ojaamong.

Mr Ojaamong said when revived, the project will help the county generate more revenue and improve livelihoods.