Bid to revive ailing cotton industry with GMO variety

The country is edging closer towards the adoption of the GMO cotton variety in a move that might boost production in the ailing sub sector.

Research on the new variety is in the final stages and is expected to be completed in February next year, with tests indicating the genetically modified type is resistant to the destructive African Bollworm which claims up to 100 per cent of harvests if no pesticides are applied.

The new type, known as Bt cotton will minimise farmers’ losses and help them save up Sh70,000 an acre, which farmers would ordinarily use in applying pesticides.

Its introduction will be the culmination of five years of research by scientists at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute in Thika.

According to one of the researchers, Dr Charles Waturu, the Bt cotton requires only three applications of pesticides compared to the conventional cotton that require at least 12 sprays to fight off pests.

He says the country’s adoption of the GMO variety was part of the government’s efforts to jump-start the ailing cotton industry which has been brought to its knees by among other factors, high cost of production.

At its prime, the cotton industry rakes in revenue running into hundreds of millions of shillings into the country’s gross domestic product.

“Farmers will not only save money but time which can be used for doing other things, indirect savings from reduced chances of poisoning hence less visits to hospitals, higher yields and quality cotton,” he says.

The introduction of the new seeds is expected in February next year when full adoption of the GMO technology will take off with the operationalisation of the Biosafety Act.

The Biosafety Bill was signed into law by President Kibaki in February and experts are now working on the regulations required for it to become operational.

“Plans are at advanced stage to put in place seven regulations that are vital for its operationalisation,” says Dr Waturu.

Research into the new variety has included inserting a gene which occurs naturally in soil bacteria, to release toxic proteins that are harmful to the African Bollworm.

The gene, Bacillus thuringiensis, produces toxins which are indigestible, making the pests to starve to death.

The caterpillars are particularly destructive on cotton plantations and can destroy many acres of cotton within a short time.

The conventional type of cotton requires farmers to use a large amount of costly pesticides, which are beyond the reach of the majority of farmers who are impoverished by the poor returns.