1. KENYA’S COTTON SUB-SECTOR REFORMS HIGH GROWTH POTENTIAL
PRIVATE SECTOR PERSPECTIVE
By Fred Kong’ong’o
African Cotton & Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF)
Secretariat
COTTON IN AFRICA SEMINAR
Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, Arusha
7TH SEPTEMBER, 2007

2. Cotton-to-Garment Market and Institutional Support Structure

3. Kenya’s Cotton Sector Profile

4. Kenya’s Ginning Sector Profile

5. Reforms Ginners initiative
Government - Private sector Donor led
Most Gins bought by private sector
Struggled to survive
Reforms currently supported and funded by the World Bank
Provide matching grant
All supply chain stakeholders; Established an Apex committee
Positive results; Apex committee developed cotton price formula acceptable to all
Influencing policy chain
Government
Established cotton Authority
All stakeholders represented
To regulate the sector
Research to improve seed variety
BT trials on going
Supply seeds free, motivate farmers
Ginners initiative
Formed Association to improve competitiveness and market access
Organized- regional basis -Eastern region well organized so far
Buy input and spare parts together: Economies of scale
Enter contract with farmers-protect territory
Organize joint training for Technicians/ farmers-reduce cost
Joint marketing and export of surplus cotton
Make sense in establishing price and market
Utilizes for price/market discovery

6. Bottom Line Needs Is the glass half full or half empty?
Associations’ commitment to co-operate - formal
Communication & information key
Platform for information sharing
Public sector partnerships / dialogue a must
International alliances / linkages key
Institutional support paramount; still work in progress
Quality lint and honouring of contracts bottom line

7. WHAT DO WE SAY ABOUT KENYA’S COTTON SUB-SECTOR
THE GLASS IS HALF FULL….
Regional & Global Cooperation ~
the key to market development and enhancing competitiveness - directly linked to the industry’s ability & desire to organise itself!