Cotton farming thriving in Teso North in Busia County

Teso North sub county will be made a model for cotton growing according to Teso North MP. Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has said majority of the residents have developed passion in cotton growing with support from the national government, “Teso North residents have embraced cotton growing and our aim is to make this constituency a model of cotton growing. Farmers from other parts of the County and country will be coming here to learn how to grow cotton from our farmers.”

He was speaking during a visit to several cotton farms and issuance of pesticides to cotton farmers at Jairos market. The pesticides were handed over to the farmers by Rivatex Managing director Prof. Thomas Kipkurgat who echoed Kaunya’s sentiments on making Teso North a model of cotton growing, “We have moved around and seen how farmers have turned to cotton growing. Am so much impressed and encouraged.”

Prof. Kipkurgat also disclosed that the government through Rivatex will revive Katakwa cotton ginnery to further boost cotton production, “Plans are underway to revive the cotton ginnery at Katakwa.” A few months ago, Rivatex issued twenty tons of free cotton seeds to farmers in Teso North in a bid to revive cotton farming. Today, hundreds of farmers have grown the crop making Teso North the leader in cotton growing in Busia County.

Barnabas Nyapara is one of the farmers who has twelve acres of land of cotton, “I started growing cotton long time ago and it has helped me to educate my children. Currently I have twelve acres of cotton in various parts of the sub county.” Nyapara joined hands with other farmers including Aggrey Emojong and Wycliffe Opili to urge other residents of Teso North and Busia County at large to go back to cotton farming, “We have witnessed and can confirm that indeed cotton farming is profitable. Let other residents join us in this farming and they won’t regret.”