Busia: The State Department for Cooperatives has released Sh20 million to upgrade Luanda Ginnery in Busia County in a bid to revitalize the cotton value chain and spur rural industrial growth. Earmarked for Phase II of the ginnery's modernization, the funds will facilitate the installation of two new ginning machines, a cotton drying unit, and critical spare parts to support continuous operations.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Secretary Administration in the State Department for Cooperatives, Amos Mariba, presided over the official handover to the contractor and stated that the initiative was part of the government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which prioritizes value addition and rural enterprise development. Mariba noted that Luanda Cooperative Society Ginnery, located in Samia Sub-County, was the only functioning ginnery in Busia County and serves cotton farmers across parts of neighboring Siaya County. He termed the investment as a major milestone in the cotton farming revival.
Mariba emphasized that upgrading the facility is about more than machinery; it's about creating jobs, supporting farmers, and reviving the local economy. The move follows the successful completion of Phase I of the project, which saw an earlier allocation of Sh80 million used to refurbish existing infrastructure and procure foundational equipment.
The contractor has been given a three-month deadline to complete the installation and commissioning of the new machinery, which is expected to significantly boost processing capacity ahead of the next harvest season. Mariba also revealed ongoing legislative reforms targeting the cotton and cooperative sectors, with key proposals before the Senate aimed at repositioning cooperative societies at the heart of production, processing, and marketing.
Luanda Cooperative Society Secretary David Ogea expressed gratitude to the national government for its support in reviving the ginnery. He encouraged farmers, particularly the youth within the ginnery's catchment, to take advantage of the renewed government commitment to cotton farming. Ogea highlighted that cotton farming is profitable, with the society currently paying Sh72 per kilogram of cotton upon delivery.