Cotton, pyrethrum can deliver quick rural jobs and manufacturing wins

Cotton and pyrethrum are two industrial crops that simultaneously answer to the need for rural jobs and agro-industries, two economic opportunities targeted by President William Ruto’s government. These crops were major economic pillars in Kenya until their farming suddenly collapsed, mostly due to institutional collapse.

Efforts to revive the growing of the two crops started in 2020, so it will not be starting from scratch. What is immediately required are focused and well-resourced strategies to build value chains, this time around with the full involvement of county governments. Rushed implementation of IMF-driven economic liberalisation in mid-1990s crippled the cotton sub-sector.