Rivatex donates pesticide Homa Bay cotton farmers
Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga and Rivatex General Manager Patrick Nyaga at Pala Trading Centre in Rachuonyo North Sub-County on October 1, 2020. The textile company donated pesticide to cotton farmers in Homa Bay County.
What you need to know:
- The company donated 26,000 litres of pesticide to more than 3,000 cotton farmers.
- Kenya produces less cotton that cannot support the demand for textile.
Textile manufacturer Rivatex has come to the aid of cotton growers in Homa Bay County, whose crops have been failing due to poor farming practices and pest attacks.
The company donated 26,000 litres of pesticide to more than 3,000 cotton farmers.
It also promised to offer other support services to farmers to ensure their next harvest improves.
Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga and Rivatex General Manager Patrick Nyaga presided over an event where farmers were given free pesticides and offered lessons on better ways of cotton farming, which has collapsed in most parts of the country.
More than 600 women also received free lesos from Rivertex to encourage them to grow more cotton to support the production of textile at local factories.
Kenya produces less cotton that cannot support the demand for textile. Companies like Rivatex have to source raw materials from Uganda and Tanzania to maintain a constant supply of finished textile products.
Ms Wanga said farmers in her county record losses when transporting their crops to ginneries in Kitui and Meru. She appealed to the county government to consider reviving cotton processing in Homa Bay to avoid the losses.
