Kenya to leverage Bt cotton to rejuvenate textile-apparel sector

27 Aug '23

1 min read

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Insights

Kenya has said it will leverage adoption of Bt cotton to revitalise the textile and apparel industry.
The government is empowering cotton farmers by improving access to Bt cotton seeds, a top government official said.
He blamed the lack of a structured dialogue and engagement among all stakeholders in addressing activism against transgenic crops for opposing voices.

Kenya recently said it will leverage adoption of Bt cotton to revitalise the textile and apparel industry. The government is empowering cotton farmers by improving access to Bt cotton seeds, Mithika Linturi, cabinet secretary in the ministry of agriculture and livestock development, said.

Kenya recognises the potential of new breeding tools like biotechnology in addressing the challenge of food insecurity and climate change and that was the reason that Kenya lifted a 10-year ban on the import and use of food derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

“This improved cotton is more productive than conventional cotton, thus translating to more income and better livelihood for our farmers,” Linturi said while opening a four-day Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication symposium in Nairobi.

Blaming the lack of a structured dialogue and engagement among all stakeholders in addressing anti-GMO activism for opposing voices, Linturi said the country still faces major hurdles as some quarters are still opposed to the introduction of GMOs.

He urged agricultural experts to address misinformation about GMOs, a region media outlet reported.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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