A World Bank-funded project in Nyanza will support centres of excellence for the revival and promotion of value addition in the cotton industry.
The centres will be managed through Kisumu National Polytechnic, which has already received Sh1.2 billion from the World Bank.
The centres will offer the necessary skills required to support the growth and sustainability of the cotton sector.
One such centre of excellence opens at Nyakongo Technical Training Institute in Rarieda subcounty next month.
Each of the centres of excellence will focus on different levels of value addition chain from production of high-quality seeds to the fashion industry, Principal Secretary in the state department for Vocational and Technical Training Kevit Desai said.
Desai was on a tour of Rarieda subcounty to assess the progress on Mahaya and Nyakongo technical training institutes.
Desai said the revival of the cotton industry is part of the government’s Big Four Agenda to look into existing value chains.
“At one time we were a considerable industry; the potential to revive that industry exists. This time around we want to ensure that we have full processing and value addition capacity,” Desai said.
The PS said that with existing skilled manpower, there would be a ready market for cotton both locally and internationally.
“Cotton is a classic material on demand in the textile industry both locally and internationally. To be able to break into the international market, we have to produce high-quality products that match international standards,” Desai said.
Area member of Parliament Otiende Amollo said the region was once well-known for cotton production but farmers stopped cotton farming because of a lack of market and low prices.
He said that the renewed commitment by the government and use of the technical training institutions to bring professionalism will create a cluster of value addition industries and a ready market for the products.
(Edited by O. Owino)
