The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has officially launched a cotton seed milling machine at Luanda Cotton Ginnery in Samia Sub-county, Busia County, in a bid to promote value addition and improve profitability for cotton farmers. The machine, valued at KES 500,000, will enhance the processing of cotton seeds into key by-products including cotton oil and seed cake—essential inputs in textile, feed, and industrial sectors.
Speaking during the commissioning event, AFA Director General stated that the installation of the milling equipment will directly benefit farmers through improved farm gate prices. “With the capacity to produce lint, oil, and seed cake from cotton, the value of seed cotton is expected to increase by an estimated 8 to 11 percent,” he noted. These products will be sold to textile mills, animal feed manufacturers, and the paint industry, respectively—broadening market opportunities for cotton farmers.
The equipment, locally manufactured in Kenya, has also been designed for multi-crop use and can process other oil crops such as sunflower. AFA emphasized its collaboration with local institutions in designing the machine to ensure spare parts are accessible and affordable.
As part of broader sectoral development, the Authority aims to reduce reliance on imported cotton by expanding production. Targets have been set to increase the area under cotton cultivation from the current 40,000 acres to 160,000 acres by 2027. Productivity per acre is also expected to rise from 153 kg to 900 kg during the same period.
The government continues to support cotton production through the distribution of high-quality inputs. In 2025 alone, it provided 1,000 metric tonnes of Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV) and BT cotton seeds for both the long and short rain seasons. Busia County received 125 MT of OPV seeds and 750 kg of BT cotton seeds, reflecting ongoing efforts to revitalize the crop’s value chain.
The new equipment, with a milling capacity of 80 kg per hour, will be piloted at the Muluanda Ginnery. Plans are underway to phase out outdated ginning machinery and replace it with modern equipment to further support the sector’s revival. AFA also committed to continuing the provision of quality seeds and pesticides to support farmer productivity.
Funyula Member of Parliament encouraged residents to scale up cotton cultivation to match the milling capacity of the new machine. He also called for greater youth participation in cotton farming, citing job creation and profitability as key benefits. Additionally, he urged stakeholders to explore diversification into other textile raw materials such as silk and sisal to reduce dependence on cotton alone.
Busia County’s Chief Officer for Agriculture highlighted encouraging trends in local cotton farming. A recent farmer profiling exercise revealed that approximately 142,000 households are engaged in farming, with 85% of the county’s land being arable—a strong foundation for expanding cotton production and agro-industrial development.
