Brazilian government has taken the initiative to boost the production of cotton in East Africa by improving the techniques of cotton farming and through training professionals. Assistance to cotton farmers with the availability of better cotton varieties, irrigation projects, and transparent pricing will boost cotton production in African countries.
Cotton Victoria Project, a partnership between Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), Brazilian Cotton Institute (IBA), Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Brazil, Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi, will boost cotton production in East Africa, according to a news agency. The project will increase the competitiveness of the cotton sector in Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi, with the production of a greater amount of high quality cotton, said Marcela Nicodemus, Brazilian ambassador to Kenya. Cotton can improve the economic condition of these countries, he added.
Kenya’s average yield of cotton per hectare is 572 kg as compared to the world’s average of 726 kg. In late 1980s, there was a downfall in Kenya’s cotton production due to the introduction of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) across the world.
